Overview of infrared methodologies for trans fat determination

trans Fatty acids are present in a variety of foods like dairy products, but the major sources are products that contain commercially hydrogenated fats. Some studies have shown that trans fatty acids elevate levels of serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol and lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol. The quantitation and identification of trans fatty acid isomers is difficult because of the wide range of positional monoene, diene, and triene fatty acid isomers present in hydrogenated oils. This is complicated by the cis positional isomers that are also present, as well as the lack of commercial chromatographic standards for many fatty acid isomers. In this review, infrared methodologies for the determination of total trans fat are presented. Using an attenuated total reflection (ATR) infrared cell, a novel Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic method that was developed for the rapid (5 min) quantitation of the total trans fatty acid levels in neat (without solvent) fats and oils measured as triacylglycerols (TAG) is discussed. TAG required no derivatization, but had to be melted prior to measurement. The lower limit of trans quantitation was 5% of total fat. The precision of this ATR method was found to be superior to that of transmission infrared official methods. Accuracy was enhanced by generating a symmetric absorption trans infrared band at 966 cm(-1) on a horizontal background. This was achieved by "ratioing" the single-beam spectrum of the trans-containing fat or oil against that of a reference oil or standard having only cis double bonds. Attempts to apply this ATR-FTIR method to food matrixes with low trans fat and/or low total fat content were not satisfactory due to interfering infrared absorptions in the trans region. To overcome this interference, the method was modified by applying the standard addition technique to the ATR-FTIR determination. The modified procedure required more time, but eliminated any adverse impact on accuracy arising from interfering minor food components having absorption bands near 966 cm(-1).