Application of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy for the quality and safety analysis of fats and oils: A review

Abstract

Fats and oils are essential food components. Their quality and safety pose major concerns for consumers and food producers because of factors such as oxidation and rancidity, excessive levels of trans fatty acid (TFA), and widespread adulteration. Thus, a rapid and easy-to-use technique must be exploited for quality parameter evaluation and monitoring to ensure the edibility, safety, and quality of fats and oils. In the last decades, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy has shown great potential in analyzing fats and oils given its speed and simplicity. FTIR-based analytical techniques for common intrinsic quality parameters, including peroxide value, free fatty acid, moisture, TFA, iodine value, as well as oxidation stability, adulteration, and classification of various fats and oils, are summarized in this review. The advantages and disadvantages of selected infrared spectral accessories and sample preparation and spectral processing methods are highlighted. The prospects and reformative aspects for future application of the FTIR technique in the field of fats and oils are also discussed. This review may serve as a basis for applying FTIR not only in future research but also in the fat and oil industries.

Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) Coupled with Chemometrics, to Control the Botanical Authenticity and Quality of Cold-Pressed Functional Oils Commercialized in Romania

“…Over the past few decades, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy had provided a reliable analytical tool in the fat and oil industries and become an attractive alternative to traditional methods, being a rapid and easy-to-use technique to evaluate qualitatively or even quantitatively the oils' edibility, their intrinsic quality parameters, safety, as well as authenticity, traceability and adulteration [1][2][3][4][5][6][7]. Moreover, the determination of edible oil authenticity, compared with the more accurate but time-consuming, laborious, and expensive chromatography-based method is advantageous as a more rapid and cheaper solution.…”

“…Different reviews [5,27] and experimental data have been reported, about the FTIR spectroscopy applied for the characterization of edible (especially olive) oil quality [10,26,28,29], as well as for the freshness evaluation [24] and detection of adulteration [4,12,[30][31][32]. A large majority of data refer to olive oil adulteration with low cost edible oils [28,33,34] or to assess oil oxidation [6,34,35].…”

Determination of Total Polar Compounds in Frying Oils by PE‐Film‐Based FTIR and ATR‐FTIR Spectroscopy

“…The peak at 721 cm −1 corresponds to the CH 2 rocking mode . Given that the signal obtained by the PE‐film‐based FTIR method is ≈20–40 times greater than that obtained by the ATR–FTIR method, the detection precision of the PE‐film‐based FTIR method is higher than that of the ATR–FTIR method …”

Contribution of Tocols to Food Sensorial Properties, Stability, and Overall Quality

“…Oxidation of lipids is a major cause of deterioration of the quality of foods affecting flavor, color, texture, and even the nutritional value and safety. Safety is of particular concern when speaking of ultra-processed and frying foods, in which further degradation reactions may occur with the formation of toxic compounds [23,24].…”