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Modeling of α-tocopherol loss and oxidation products formed during thermoxidation in triolein and tripalmitin mixtures

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Lipids

Abstract

The degradation of α-tocopherol and the formation of α-tocopherol and triacylglycerol oxidation products at high temperatures (150–250°C) over a heating period (0–4h) for a model system ranging between triolein and tripalmitin were modeled by use of an experimental design. The oxidation products of α-tocopherol formed under these conditions were α-tocopherolquinone (1.4–7.7%) and epoxy-α-tocopherolquinones (4.3–34.8%). The results indicate a very high susceptibility of α-tocopherol to capture peroxyl radicals upon oxidation, leading to the formation of polar tocopherol oxidation products. Both α-tocopherolquinone and epoxy-α-tocopherolquinones were not stable upon prolonged heating and were further degraded to other unknown oxidation products. The kinetics of α-tocopherol oxidation were significantly influenced by the triolein/tripalmitin ratio. By increasing the level of triacylglycerol unsaturation the rate of α-tocopherol recovery after heating increased significantly from 2.2 to 44.2% whereas in the meantime triacylglycerol polymerization increased from 0 to 3.7%.

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Abbreviations

FAME:

fatty acid methyl ester

GC:

gas chromatography

HPLC:

high-performance liquid chromatography

HPSEC:

high-performance size exclusion chromatography

IUPAC:

International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry

NMR:

nuclear magnetic resonance

OOO:

triolein

PPP:

tripalmitin

UV:

ultraviolet

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food Science, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden

    A. Kamal-Eldin

  2. Instituto de la Grasa (CSIC), E-41012, Sevilla, Spain

    C. Dobarganes

  3. Department of Food Technology and Nutrition, Coupure Links 653, 9000, Gent, Belgium

    K. Dewettinck & A. Huyghebaert

  4. Faculty of Agricultural and Applied Biological Sciences, Department of Organic Chemistry, Coupure Links 653, 9000, Gent, Belgium

    T. Verleyen & R. Verhe

Authors
  1. T. Verleyen
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  2. A. Kamal-Eldin
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  3. C. Dobarganes
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  4. R. Verhe
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  5. K. Dewettinck
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  6. A. Huyghebaert
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Correspondence to T. Verleyen.

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Verleyen, T., Kamal-Eldin, A., Dobarganes, C. et al. Modeling of α-tocopherol loss and oxidation products formed during thermoxidation in triolein and tripalmitin mixtures. Lipids 36, 719–726 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-001-0777-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-001-0777-6

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