Katarzyna Ratusz

Influence of composition on degradation during repeated deep‐fat frying of binary and ternary blends of palm, sunflower and soybean oils with health‐optimised saturated‐to‐unsaturated fatty acid ratios

The American Heart Association recommended the fatty acid balance contributed by all the fats in our diet, suggesting it would be best at approximately 1:1:1 for saturated (SFA), monounsaturated (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), respectively. Three individual oils: palm oil (PO), soybean oil (SBO) and sunflower oil (SNF) and their binary and ternary blends were prepared and used for repeated deep-fat frying of French fries. The acid value, peroxide value, p-anisidine value and Totox values, as well as oxidative stability, contents of total polar compounds, tocochromanols, triacylglycerol dimers and oligomers, were determined in individual and blended oils. The lowest Totox value and highest stability were found for PO, and the opposite data were obtained for SNF and SBO. The degradation of tocochromanols in blends ranged from 91% to 95% after 4 days of frying, while in individual oils, it was 63% in SBO, 71% in SNF and 100% in PO. The lowest formation of dimers and oligomers was observed for the PO: SNF blend. Obtained results showed that only pure PO was a better frying medium than its blends with SBO and SNF. However, a prepared blend had a better fatty acid composition for human health and was more stable than pure SBO and SNF.

Roasting pumpkin seeds and changes in the composition and oxidative stability of cold-pressed oils

BACKGROUND Pumpkin seed oil is valuable oil for its distinctive taste and aroma, as well as supposed health- promoting properties. The aim of this study was to investigate how roasting pumpkin seeds influences the physicochemical properties of cold-pressed oils. METHODS The fatty acid composition, content of phytosterols, carotenoids and tocopherols, oxidative stability and colour were determined in oils after cold pressing and storage for 3 months using GC-FID, GCxGC-ToFMS, HPLC, Rancimat and spectrophotometric methods. RESULTS The results of this study indicate that the seed-roasting and storage process have no effect on the fatty acid composition of pumpkin seed oils, but does affect phytosterols and tocopherols. The carotenoid content decreased after storage. The colour of the roasted oil was darker and changed significantly during storage. CONCLUSIONS Pumpkin oil obtained from roasted seeds shows better physicochemical properties and oxidative stability than oil from unroasted seeds.