Fatty Acid Composition, Tocopherols and Beta-Carotene Content in Polish Commercial Vegetable Oils

Abstract

The fatty acid composition, tocopherols and beta-carotene content in the following vegetable oils: rapeseed, olive, arachide, sunflower, soybean, corn, grapeseed, pumpkin seed, sesame and linseed were evaluated. The study comprised commercial refined and cold pressed oils from different manufacturers. The fatty acid composition was determined by Gas Chromatography (GC) method on a 50m capillary column with a CP Sil 88 phase. Alpha, beta, gama, delta-tocopherols and beta-carotene contents were analyzed by HPLC method with a Lichrospher Si 60 column. The study showed that beta-carotene was present only in some cold pressed oils. The amount of tocopherols varied much between oil types and between the same type of oil from different producers. Among all tested oils, sunflower oil had the highest vitamin E content. The rapeseed oil, the most popular on Polish market was characterized by the highest content of alpha-linolenic acid and the lowest 18:2/18:3 ratio. The alpha-tocopherol equivalent to polyenoic content ratio was the highest in olive oil and the lowest in commercial linseed oil. Only 1.6% of linolenic acid in the total fatty acid composition was observed in the linseed oil.