Method for the identification and quantification of waxes in vegetable oils

Waxes are minor components of sunflower oil, consisting mainly of esters of high molecular weight fatty acids and high molecular weight aliphatic alcohols, which are partially removed during the winterization process in the production of refined oils. Determining the minor components of vegetable oils is of great importance in assessing their authenticity and quality. The study is devoted to the development of an effective method for the identification and quantification of waxes in vegetable oils. The task of the work is to adapt the method of sample preparation and the method of identification and quantitative determination (by the method of absolute calibration) of waxes in vegetable oils using the method of gas chromatography in combination with mass detection. The characteristics of the existing methods for the determination of waxes and wax-like substances are presented, the proposed methods for sample preparation, identification and quantitative determination of waxes in vegetable oils are described. Verification was carried out and the main metrological characteristics of the method were determined. It has been established that the proposed method allows the determination of wax in vegetable oils in the concentration range from 0.05 mg/kg to 0.5 mg/kg with an error of no more than ± 1.8%.