Stability of peroxidised oils and fat to high temperature heating

The fatty acid compositions of extracted and commercial samples of cottonseed oil, groundnut oil, sesame oil and butter fat were determined by gas‐liquid chromatography. These fats were subjected to frying temperature (195 ºC) for 3 hours and the peroxide value, iodine value, free fatty acid content and the carbonyl value were determined at hourly intervals. The stability of the oils did not correlate well with the ratio of C18:2 to C81:1 nor with the degree of unsaturation. Also, it was not a function of the susceptibility of these oils and fat to hydrolyse during the heating process. The data suggest that the fatty acids, present in these oils and fat, influence each other's oxidation and thus affecting the rate of oxidation. It appears that one of the major predisposing factors in the degradation of these oils and fat is the amount of saturated fatty acids which are present in contact with unsaturated and peroxidised fatty acids. This explanation has been discussed in relation to the degree of unsaturation of the oils used in the experiments and their vitamin E contents.