Physicochemical properties and volatile formation mechanism of medium-chain triacylglycerols during heating

May 31, 2022

Title

Physicochemical properties and volatile formation mechanism of medium-chain triacylglycerols during heating

Author

SoYoon Park, Mi-Ja Kim, Jae Hwan Lee

Year

2022

Journal

Food Science

Abstract

Medium-chain triacylglycerols (MCTs), including caprylic acid (C8), a mixture of caprylic acid and capric acid (C8+C10), and high-MCT coconut oil (HMCO), were heated at 180°C. Their volatile profiles were analyzed to determine the MCT degradation mechanisms. As heating time increased to 10 h, secondary oxidation products and acid value of all samples increased continuously. Ketones, alkanes, fatty acid anions, fatty acid esters, and lactones were found in all heated MCTs. 2-Hexanone and heptane were detected in C8 after 2 h of heating, and 2-heptanone, heptanal, methyl octanoate, γ-octalactone, and δ-octalactone were detected after 4 h. For the C8+C10, ketones, alkanes, and aldehydes were first observed. Hydrolysis and decarboxylation seem to occur first for ketone and alkane formation. Cracking and cyclization may occur later for fatty acid esters and lactones in heated MCTs. This result can help to understand thermal decomposition mechanisms of saturated fatty acids like MCTs.

Instrument

LC-4000

Keywords

secondary oxidation, acid value