Determination of triglyceride structure via silver nitrate‐TLC

Abstract

Abstract A procedure for the quantitative analysis of component triglycerides by thin‐layer chromatography (TLC) with silver nitrate‐silicic acid coated plates in combination with lipase hydrolysis is described. The method is demonstrated on synthetic triglyceride mixtures and applied to several natural fats. The results indicate that the fatty acids of natural fats are not distributed among the triglycerides in accordance with any simple mathematical formula and methods based on mathematical distribution patterns cannot be generally applied.