Study by 1H NMR spectroscopy of the evolution of extra virgin olive oil composition submitted to frying temperature in an industrial fryer for a prolonged period of time

High Resolution NMR Spectroscopy as a Structural and Analytical Tool for Unsaturated Lipids in Solution

Mono- and polyunsaturated lipids are widely distributed in Nature, and are structurally and functionally a diverse class of molecules with a variety of physicochemical, biological, medicinal and nutritional properties. High resolution NMR spectroscopic techniques including 1H-, 13C- and 31P-NMR have been successfully employed as a structural and analytical tool for unsaturated lipids. The objective of this review article is to provide: (i) an overview of the critical 1H-, 13C- and 31P-NMR parameters for structural and analytical investigations; (ii) an overview of various 1D and 2D NMR techniques that have been used for resonance assignments; (iii) selected analytical and structural studies with emphasis in the identification of major and minor unsaturated fatty acids in complex lipid extracts without the need for the isolation of the individual components; (iv) selected investigations of oxidation products of lipids; (v) applications in the emerging field of lipidomics; (vi) studies of protein-lipid interactions at a molecular level; (vii) practical considerations and (viii) an overview of future developments in the field.

Techniques for the Analysis of Minor Lipid Oxidation Products Derived from Triacylglycerols: Epoxides, Alcohols, and Ketones

Lipid oxidation can lead to flavor and safety issues in fat-containing foods. In order to measure the extent of lipid oxidation, hydroperoxides and their scission products are normally targeted for analytical purposes. In recent years, the formation of rarely monitored oxygenated products, including epoxides, alcohols, and ketones, has also raised concerns. These products are thought to form from alternative pathways that compete with chain scissions, and should not be neglected. In this review, a number of instrumental techniques and approaches to determine epoxides, alcohols, and ketones are discussed, with a focus on their selectivity and sensitivity in applications to food lipids and oils. Special attention is given to methods employing gas chromatography (GC), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). For characterization purposes, GC-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) provides valuable information regarding the structures of individual oxygenated fatty acids, typically as methyl esters, isolated from oxygenated triacylglycerols (TAGs), while the use of liquid chromatography-MS (LC-MS) techniques allows analysis of intact oxygenated TAGs and offers information about the position of the oxygenated acyl chain on the glycerol backbone. For quantitative purposes, traditional chromatography methods have exhibited excellent sensitivity, while spectroscopic methods, including NMR, are superior to chromatography for their rapid analytical cycles. Future studies should focus on the development of a routine quantitative method that is both selective and sensitive.

Dynamic changes in composition of extracts of natural products as monitored by in situ NMR

The direct in situ NMR observation and quantification, based on the aldehyde -CH chemical shift region, of the inter-conversion of secoiridoid derivatives due to temperature and solvent effects is demonstrated in complex extracts of natural products without prior isolation of the individual components. The equilibrium between the aldehyde hydrate form and the dialdehyde form of the oleuropein aglycon of an olive leaf aqueous extract in D(2)O was shown to be temperature dependent. The resulting thermodynamic values of the Van't Hoff plot with ΔH(o)  = -26.34 ± 1.00 kJ mol(-1) and TΔS° (298 K) = -24.70 ± 1.00 kJ mol(-1) demonstrate a significant entropy term which nearly compensates the effect of enthalpy at room temperature. The equilibrium between the two diastereomeric hemiacetal forms and the dialdehyde form of the oleuropein 6-O-β-d-glucopyranoside aglycon of an olive leaf aqueous extract in CD(3) OD was also shown to be strongly temperature dependent again because of the significant entropy term (TΔS° (298 K) = -26.50 ± 1.39 kJ mol(-1)) compared with that of the enthalpy term (ΔH(o)  = -36.64 ± 1.46 kJ mol(-1)). This is the first demonstration of the significant role of the entropy parameter in determining the equilibrium of chemical transformations in complex mixtures of natural products due to solvent and temperature effects.

Lipid-derived aldehyde degradation under thermal conditions

Nucleophilic degradation produced by reactive carbonyls plays a major role in food quality and safety. Nevertheless, these reactions are complex because reactive carbonyls are usually involved in various competitive reactions. This study describes the thermal degradation of 2-alkenals (2-pentenal and 2-octenal) and 2,4-alkadienals (2,4-heptadienal and 2,4-decadienal) in an attempt to both clarify the stability of aldehydes and determine new compounds that might also play a role in nucleophile/aldehyde reactions. The obtained results showed that alkenals and alkadienals decomposed rapidly in the presence of buffer and air to produce formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and the aldehydes corresponding to the breakage of the carboncarbon double bonds: propanal, hexanal, 2-pentenal, 2-octenal, glyoxal, and fumaraldehyde. The activation energy of double bond breakage was relatively low (∼ 25 kJ/mol) and the yield of alkanals (10-18%) was higher than that of 2-alkenals (∼ 1%). All these results indicate that these reactions should be considered in order to fully understand the range of nucleophile/aldehyde adducts produced.

Relationships between the evolution of the percentage in weight of polar compounds and that of the molar percentage of acyl groups of edible oils submitted to frying temperature

The evolution of the molar percentage of several kinds of acyl groups of extra virgin olive, sunflower and virgin linseed oils was monitored throughout heating at frying temperature by means of (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance. Likewise, the evolution of the percentage in weight of the polar compounds of the same oils under the same heating conditions was also determined. Relationships between both sets of parameters, in each oil and in the oils as a group, were studied. An equation which is able to accurately predict the percentage in weight of the polar compounds, throughout the heating at frying temperature, of any one of these three oils, from the molar percentage of triunsaturated, diunsaturated and monounsaturated acyl groups, was obtained. In this way both molar percentage of acyl groups and percentage in weight of polar compounds can be obtained in a few minutes that registration of the (1)H NMR spectrum of the oil takes, in addition to the rest of information provided by this technique. The study reveals the close relationships between percentage in weight of polar compounds and the composition expressed in terms of molar percentages of acyl groups in edible oils heated at frying temperature.

Principais alterações físico-químicas em óleos e gorduras submetidos ao processo de fritura por imersão: regulamentação e efeitos na saúde

Alimentos fritos são muito consumidos no Brasil e no mundo. Sabe-se que a fritura é um processo complexo e oferece riscos à saúde humana. Um dos objetivos desta revisão foi apresentar as principais alterações físicas (escurecimento, viscosidade e formação de espuma) e químicas (hidrólise e auto-oxidação) que ocorrem nos óleos e/ou gorduras durante o processo de fritura. Outro objetivo foi abordar os principais fatores envolvidos na degradação do óleo e/ou da gordura de fritura (temperatura e tempo de fritura; relação superfície/volume; tipo de aquecimento; tipo de óleo; adição de óleo novo; natureza e quantidade do alimento frito; presença de contaminantes metálicos e equipamento utilizado, além da presença de antioxidantes). Foram também apresentados alguns métodos de controle de qualidade de óleo ou de gordura de fritura existentes (quantificação de compostos polares totais, acidez, índice de peróxidos, valor de p-anisidina e métodos rápidos de quantificação). Por fim, foram relacionadas as regulamentações vigentes sobre o processo de fritura, os efeitos dos compostos degradados sobre a saúde humana e algumas recomendações para a melhoria da qualidade do óleo ou da gordura de fritura formuladas pelo Informe Técnico nº 11 da Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária.