The Detection of Adulteration with Desterolized Oils

Abstract

Abstract Edible oils are desterolized in order to render them “undetectable” when admixed to other oils. Such frauds remain, however, detectable by the olefinic degradation products of the sterols: the degradation products approximately have the composition of the sterols they originate from. Presence of campestatriene (degraded brassicasterol) reveals the presence of desterolized rapeseed oil. The ratio of the degradation products of sitosterol and campesterol is a sensitive indicator for desterolized sunflower, soybean, palm, or grapeseed oil in oils of low campesterol content, such as olive and walnut oil. Analyses were performed by on‐line coupled LC‐GC.