Gas Chromatographic Determination of Trans Unsaturation in Margarine: Collaborative Study

Abstract

Abstract An international collaborative study of a gas chromatographic (GC) method for the determination of trans unsaturation in margarine was conducted in 1980. Thirteen collaborators analyzed a set of 2 of 3 known mixtures of methyl esters and 4 margarine methyl ester samples. Two of the margarine methyl ester samples were blind duplicates. The experimental data were subjected to statistical analysis to determine within- and between-laboratory variation. The statistical data were in excellent agreement with data from a collaborative study of the AOACIUPAC GC method for the determination of methyl esters of fatty acids. Coefficients of variation (CVs) for components in the range of 4-40% were comparable (CV 2-6% for soybean oil methyl esters (AOAC-IUPAC study) as well as for margarine methyl esters (this study)). Good recoveries of total trans acids were obtained and betweenlaboratory as well as within-laboratory CVs were consistently better for the determination of total trans acids by GC vs infrared analysis. The GC method for determining trans unsaturation in margarine has been adopted official first action.