Partial hydrogenation of oils using cold plasma technology and its effect on lipid oxidation

The formation of trans-fatty acids during the hydrogenation of oils using traditional methods is a known fact. Hydrogenation involves the conversion of unsaturation to saturation to enhance the keeping quality of oils. These trans-fatty acids are considered harmful leading to several cardiovascular diseases. Methods like the use of novel catalysts, interesterification, supercritical CO2 hydrogenation and electrocatalytic hydrogenation have been employed to reduce the trans-fatty acid formation. Recently, the application of cold plasma for hydrogenation was employed as an eco-friendly technology. The use of hydrogen as a feed gas will be the source of atomic hydrogen required for the conversion of unsaturated to saturated bonds. The hydrogenation using cold plasma did not result in the formation of trans-fatty acids. However, some reports have shown insignificant levels of trans-fatty acids and secondary lipid oxidation compounds after the plasma treatment. Therefore, it is necessary to optimize the plasma parameters, feed gas type and composition, processing condition to avoid practical implications. It can be concluded that after the detailed investigation of role of reactive species in the partial hydrogenation of oils cold plasma can be considered as an alternative technology.

Recent advances and future prospects for biolubricant base stocks production using lipases as environmentally friendly catalysts: a mini-review

In recent years, fluctuating global fossil fuel market prices and growing concern about environmental pollution have increased efforts to obtain novel value-added products from renewable agricultural biomass. To this end, a wide variety of triacylglycerols (edible and non-edible oils and fats) and their derivatives (free fatty acids or monoalkyl esters) stand out as promising feedstocks for the production of biolubricant base stocks, due to their biodegradability, excellent physicochemical properties, and sustainable nature. These raw materials can be transformed into biolubricants using chemical or biochemical (lipases) catalysts, with the enzymatic production of biolubricants using lipases as catalysts being recognized as an environmentally friendly approach. The present mini-review highlights recent advances in this field, published in the last three years. The different chemical modification processes used to develop a wide variety of industrial biolubricant base stocks are comprehensively reviewed, with exploration of future prospects for industrial production via the enzymatic route. This study contributes to the current state-of-the-art, identifying relevant research questions and providing important technical information for new applications of lipases in oleochemical manufacturing industries.

Research advances based on mass spectrometry for profiling of triacylglycerols in oils and fats and their applications

Vegetable oils and animal fats are dietary source of lipids that play critical and multiple roles in biological function. Triacylglycerols (TAGs) are the principal component of oils and fats with significant difference in profile among different oils and fats. TAG profiling is essential for nutritional evaluation, quality control and assurance of safety in oils and fats. However, analysis of TAGs is a challenging task because of the complicated composition of TAGs and their similar physicochemical properties in oils and fats. The rapid development of mass spectrometry (MS) technology in recent years makes it possible to analyze the composition, content and structure of TAGs in the study of the physical, chemical and nutritional properties of oils, fats and related products. This review described the research advancement based on MS for profiling of TAGs in oil, fat and their applications in food. The application of MS, including direct infusion strategies, and its combination with chromatography, gas chromatography-MS (GC-MS) and liquid chromatography-MS (LC-MS), in the analysis of TAGs were reviewed. The advantages and disadvantages of these analytical methods with relevant applications for TAGs analysis in food were also described.