Detection of adulteration of fats by thin layer chromatography of trisaturated glycerides

Abstract A new method based on the difference in the number of components and intensities has been developed for the detection of adulteration of buffer fat (Ghee) with high melting point fat such as hydrogenated groundnut oil, tallow and Mohua (Mowrah) oil, by first separating the trisaturated glycerides (GS3) by argentation-thin layer chromatography on Silica Gel G, then resolving the GS3 into components on paraffin impregnated Kieselguhr G plates followed by microsaponification. After this the fatty acids are isolated on paraffin coated Kieselguhr G plates to indicate the component fatty acids of particular glyceride spots. The solvent systems used were (i) acetone-methanol-acetic acid (60:40:0.5) for the triglycerides and (ii) 90% acetic acid for fatty acids. Unequivocal detection of adulterants up to 5% level was possible by this method, whereas the conventional methods, depending on physical or chemical characteristics such as refractive index, Reichert-Meissl, Polenske, saponification and iodine values, failed.