Gas chromatographic determination of major sterols in edible oils and fats using solid-phase extraction in sample preparation

Summary

A capillary gas chromatographic method is described for the determination of major plant sterols and cholesterol in edible oils and fats. In the sample preparation procedure reversed-phase, solid-phase extraction with C18 adsorbent was used to extract the unsaponifiable matter and for sample cleanup after saponification. Sterols were quantitated as their trimethylsilylether derivatives using an internal standard method (betulin). The method was validated by recovery tests and analysis of two reference materials representing vegetable oil mixture and milk fat matrices. Average recoveries of spiked cholesterol and cholesterol acetate in rapeseed oil were 103±4% (n=12) and 101±3% (n=10), respectively. The sterol values determined in the reference materials were found to be in a good agreement with their given certified or indicative values. Applied to edible oils and fats, plant sterols and cholesterol at levels>20 mg kg⁻¹ could be accuratively quantitated.