High-performance thin-layer chromatographic method for monitoring the thermal degradation of β-carotene in sunflower oil

Carotenoids are important pigments found in foods and biological samples. Among carotenoids, β-carotene is the major carotenoid present in vegetable oils. It plays an important role in the thermal stability of the vegetable oil. We established a simple, precise, specific, sensitive, repeatable, and accurate HPTLC method for the analysis of β-carotene in fortified vegetable oils and assessment of its degradation. Analysis was performed on silica gel HPTLC plates with petroleum ether-hexane-acetone 2:3:1 ( v/v ) as mobile phase and densitometric detection. The RF of β-carotene was 0.91 and regression analysis showed response was a linear function quantification of amount of β-carotene in the range 100–600 ng ( r2 = 0.99991). The limits of detection and quantification were 0.11 and 0.37 ng, respectively. The thermal degradation (1–5 h at 100°C) of β-carotene in fortified sunflower oil was studied. It was observed that this HPTLC method could be used for efficient analysis and monitoring of the degradation of β-carotene in edible oils.