Triacylglycerol Structure of Animal Tallows, Potential Food Formulation Fats, by High Performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled With Mass Spectrometry

Triacylglycerol (TAG) compositions, as mole percent, were obtained by reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC), coupled with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry (APCI-MS) of lard and mutton tallow fractions under consideration for food formulation products. Accurate identification and quantitation of these TAG compositions were obtained and proved by comparison of the fatty acid composition calculated from the TAG composition which was obtained by APCI-MS with the fatty acid composition, and converted to mole percent as obtained by gas chromatography of the methyl esters of the transmethylated oils. Average absolute errors with respect to TAG quantitation and identification were less than one percent. Our study identified and quantitated the TAG equal to and greater than 0.1% concentration. Concentration of TAG with various fatty unsaturated (U) and saturated (S) fatty acids with TAG, designated as these species UUU, UUS, USS, and SSS, can be determined accurately from RP-HPLC/APCI-MS of the actual TAG species. These TAG species UUU, UUS, USS, and SSS affect the physical properties of food formulation fats.