FOOD. Science. Technology. Quality

Food. SCIENCE. Technology. Quality

Food. Science. TECHNOLOGY. Quality

Food. Science. Technology. QUALITY

Authors

MARTA CIECIERSKA, MIECZYSŁAW OBIEDZIŃSKI

Title

Vegetable oils contamination by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Abstract

The objective of this study was evaluation of contamination of vegetable oils by 15 PAHs, listed by The Scientific Committee on Food UE. The material investigated were extra virgin olive oil, olive Pomace oil and rapeseed and sunflower oils (both pressed and refined). Methodology applied for the study consisted of PAHs isolation from the oil samples using GPC – gel permeation chromatography and qualitative-quantitative compound’s determination by high pressure liquid chromatography with selective detectors (HPLC–FLD/DAD). Among all oils under investigation olive Pomace oil showed the highest content of PAHs. Contamination of this oil by benzo[a]pirene was over 30-times higher than maximum tolerable limit stated in Commission Regulation (EC) No. 208/2005 (2 µg/kg). In case of others oils benzo[a]pirene’s content didn’t exceed the limit of 2 µg/kg. It was shown that olive Pomace oil’s contamination was statistically significant higher than extra virgin olive oil’s contamination. Moreover comparison of pressed oils: rapeseed and sunflower and their refined equivalents proved that pressed oils had statistically significant higher content of PAHs than refined ones.

Keywords

polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), vegetable oils, food contaminants

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