Quality characterization of vegetable oils for application in culinary technology

Physical and chemical characteristics of selected vegetable oils were investigated in order to evaluate their potential application in culinary technology. The study included eight vegetable oils commonly used in culinary practice: sunflower, maize, grape seed, olive, pumpkin seed, walnut, sesame, and soybean oil. The quality of the oils was investigated by determination of color, density, moisture content, refractive index, acid value, free fatty acids content, saponification value, mean molecular weight of fatty acids, iodine value, peroxide value, and fatty acids composition. Based on the physical and chemical characteristics, oils suitable for different applications in culinary technology were selected. Sunflower oil, olive oil, maize oil and grape seed oil had low acid value, relatively low iodine value, and acceptable peroxide value, which suggest possible stability at high temperature. For these reasons these oils were considered suitable for frying. Pumpkin seed oil, walnut oil, sesame oil, and soybean oil were characterized by high acid value, relatively high iodine value, and respective high peroxide value, and they were selected for application in cold salad dressings. Salad dressings containing pumpkin seed oil, walnut oil, sesame oil, and soybean oil were prepared and their sensory characteristics were determined.