Chemical Composition and Oxidative Stability of Selected Plant Oils

Scientific data on the oxidative stability of borage oil, Camelina sativa oil, linseed oil, evening primrose oil and pumpkin seed oil are scarce. Chemiluminescence (CL) methods most commonly used to determine the oxidative stability of oils include measurement of hydroperoxide, intensity of light emitted during the accelerated oxidation process performed at high (> 100 A degrees C) temperatures or assisted by forced flow of air/oxygen through the sample. The aim of this study was to investigate the chemical composition and oxidative stability of selected vegetable oils available on the Polish market. Oxidative stability was determined using a fast, novel chemiluminescence-based method, in which light emitted during oxidation process conducted at 70 A degrees C in the presence of some catalyzing Fe(2+) ions is measured. A reaction of the applied type has not been reported so far. High contents of tocopherols and phytosterols were found in the analyzed oil samples. Oxidative stability of the samples was in most cases higher than the stability of refined rapeseed oil, a relatively stable substance from the oxidation point of view.