In my master's thesis, the thermal and oxidative stability of various extra virgin olive oil samples as well as the presence of antioxidants, the degree of unsaturation of fatty acids and the content of free fatty acids in these oils, were studied. The oils are composed mainly of triacylglycerols, which are esters of glycerol and three fatty acids. The overall chemical composition determines the properties of the oil. Thermal stability was studied while heating the oil sample in air or nitrogen atmosphere using a simultaneous TGA/DSC instrument. The oxidation induction time (OIT) at 160 °C was determined by DSC measurements. The iodine number (IV), which is a measure of the degree of unsaturation of the oil and represents the mass of iodine in grams that binds per 100 g of oil, was determined. The acid number, which is a measure of the free fatty acid content and represents the mass of KOH in milligrams that binds 1 g of oil, was also determined, as was the acidity, which indicates the percentage of free oleic acid contained. A series of simple experiments to determine quantitatively and qualitatively the presence of antioxidants and unsaturation, suitable for use in secondary education, were also developed.
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