Oxidative stability and AromaScan analyses of corn oils with altered fatty acid content

Abstract

<p>This project was designed to evaluate the oxidative stability of corn oils with increased total saturated fatty acid composition and to test the feasibility of using the AromaScan, an “electronic nose,” to detect the odors/aromas produced by oxidation. Corn oils with traditional (13.1%) and elevated (14.7 to 17.1%) total saturated fatty acid percentages were evaluated for their oxidative quality. Oils from five corn genotypes were extracted, refined, bleached, and deodorized (RBD) in the laboratory. Two replications, separated at the point of extraction, were evaluated for each genotype. The RBD corn oils (18.0 g) were stored in 50-mL beakers at 60°C in the dark, and peroxide values were measured every other day for 8 d. Corn oils with elevated saturated fatty acid compositions were more stable (<em>P</em><0.05) than the traditional corn oil. Aroma intensity of the oils was measured with an AromaScan at days 0, 4, and 8. The AromaScan provided a useful tool to detect odors/aromas produced by oxidation during an oxidative stability study; this tool might be used to partly replace human sensory panel evaluation of oxidized samples.</p>