Factors affecting pre-concentration of tocopherols and tocotrienols from palm fatty acid distillate by lipase-catalysed hydrolysis

Cold-pressed cactus pear seed oil: Quality and stability

Cold-pressed seed oil from twelve commercially produced cactus pear cultivars was assessed for oil yield, fatty acid composition, physicochemical properties, quality and stability. Large differences in oil content, fatty acid composition and physicochemical properties (IV, PV, RI, tocopherols, ORAC, % FFA, OSI and induction time) were observed. Oil content ranged between 2.51% and 5.96% (Meyers and American Giant). The important fatty acids detected were C16:0, C18:0, C18:1c9 and C18:2c9,12, with C18:2c9,12, the dominating fatty acid, ranging from 58.56-65.73%, followed by C18:1c9, ranging between 13.18-16.07%, C16:0, which ranged between 10.97 - 15.07% and C18:0, which ranged between 2.62-3.18%. Other fatty acids such as C14:0, C16:1c9, C17:0, C17:1c10, C20:0, C18:3c9,12,15 and C20:3c8,11,14 were detected in small amounts. The quality parameters of the oils were strongly influenced by oil content, fatty acid composition and physicochemical properties. Oil content, PV, % FFA, RI, IV, tocopherols, ORAC and ρ-anisidine value were negatively correlated with OSI. C18:0; C18:1c9; C18:2c9,12; MUFA; PUFA; n-6 and PUFA/SFA were also negatively correlated with OSI. Among all the cultivars, American Giant was identified as the paramount cultivar with good quality traits (oil content and oxidative stability).

Oxidative Stability at Different Storage Conditions and Adulteration Detection of Prickly Pear Seeds Oil

Lipid oxidation and adulteration have a negative impact on functionality and notoriety of foods especially vegetable oils and cause economic losses. The present study investigates the control of two commercial quality aspects of prickly pear seeds oil (PPSO): oxidative stability during storage and detection of adulteration. Peroxide index, specific extinction coefficients K232 and K270, free acidity, and fatty acids composition were evaluated during different periods of incubation (6, 12, and 18 months) at various temperatures (4°C, 25°C, 40°C, and uncontrolled room temperature ranging between 4°C and 40°C) with different packaging (protected and unprotected from sunlight, with and without nitrogen gas bubbling). Based on the physicochemical and biochemical parameters evolution, this study has shown that PPSO stored at 4°C for 18 months preserves the initial quality. However, at 40°C, an intense lipid oxidative process occurred after 6 months of storage. The changes have also affected fatty acids composition, especially rates of linoleic and oleic acids. The shelf-life of oils stored at 25°C and at uncontrolled room temperature can be limited to 6 months. Regarding the impact of light and nitrogen bubbling, sunlight has affected seriously the oxidative stability of oils after 12 months of storage and the bubbling with nitrogen has improved their stability when they have been stored in clear glass bottles. The levels of adulteration detection using fatty acids as markers are relatively high. The detection of oil adulteration can be depicted by fatty acids composition up to 15% of olive and almond oils and up to 20% of rapeseed oil. The iodine value could also be an indicator of the sunflower oil presence in PPSO. Therefore, other minor compounds including sterols and tocopherols should be investigated to depict PPSO adulteration with cheaper oils and to determine lower levels of detection in order to ensure the authenticity of PPSO.

Ailanthus altissima (Miller) Swingle seed oil: chromatographic characterization by GC-FID and HS-SPME-GC-MS, physicochemical parameters, and pharmacological bioactivities

This study aimed to identify the physicochemical and the chemical properties of Ailanthus altissima (Miller) Swingle seed oil and to evaluate its in vitro antioxidant and antibacterial activities and in vivo analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities. The fatty acids' composition was determined using GC-FID. The oil was screened for antioxidant activity by DPPH test. The analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities were determined using the acetic acid writhing test in mice and the carrageenan-induced paw edema assay in rats, respectively. Volatile compounds were characterized by HS-SPME-GC-MS. A. altissima produces seeds which yielded 17.32% of oil. The seed oil was characterized by a saponification number of 192.6 mg KOH∙g of oil, a peroxide value of 11.4 meq O₂∙kg of oil, a K₂₃₂ of 4.04, a K₂₇₀ of 1.24, and a phosphorus content of 126.2 ppm. The main fatty acids identified were palmitic (3.06%), stearic (1.56%), oleic (38.35%), and linoleic acids ones (55.76%). The main aroma compounds sampled in the headspace were carbonyl derivatives. The oil presents an important antioxidant activity (IC₅₀ = 24.57 μg/mL) and a modest antimicrobial activity. The seed oil at 1 g/kg showed high analgesic (91.31%) and anti-inflammatory effects (85.17%). The presence of high levels of unsaturated fatty acids and the noteworthy antioxidant capacity of the seed oil can hypothesize its use as an analgesic and anti-inflammatory agent.

Optimization of tocopherol concentration process from soybean oil deodorized distillate using response surface methodology

Soybean oil deodorized distillate is a product derived from the refining process and it is rich in high value-added products. The recovery of these unsaponifiable fractions is of great commercial interest, because of the fact that in many cases, the "valuable products" have vitamin activities such as tocopherols (vitamin E), as well as anticarcinogenic properties such as sterols. Molecular distillation has large potential to be used in order to concentrate tocopherols, as it uses very low temperatures owing to the high vacuum and short operating time for separation, and also, it does not use solvents. Then, it can be used to separate and to purify thermosensitive material such as vitamins. In this work, the molecular distillation process was applied for tocopherol concentration, and the response surface methodology was used to optimize free fatty acids (FFA) elimination and tocopherol concentration in the residue and in the distillate streams, both of which are the products of the molecular distiller. The independent variables studied were feed flow rate (F) and evaporator temperature (T) because they are the very important process variables according to previous experience. The experimental range was 4-12 mL/min for F and 130-200 degrees C for T. It can be noted that feed flow rate and evaporator temperature are important operating variables in the FFA elimination. For decreasing the loss of FFA, in the residue stream, the operating range should be changed, increasing the evaporator temperature and decreasing the feed flow rate; D/F ratio increases, increasing evaporator temperature and decreasing feed flow rate. High concentration of tocopherols was obtained in the residue stream at low values of feed flow rate and high evaporator temperature. These results were obtained through experimental results based on experimental design.