Aprofood offers food rancidity testing services. We can systematically analyze the progress of lipid oxidation and hydrolysis reactions and test key indicators. Our test results can be used to help you verify whether the products comply with regulatory requirements or to track daily process control and quality parameters.

Food Rancidity

Food rancidity mainly refers to the deterioration process of lipids in food, that is, the breakdown of fat, oils, and fat-soluble vitamins in food under the catalytic action of endogenous enzymes. Unsaturated fats are decomposed into esters, volatile aldehydes, ketones, alcohols, and hydrocarbons. Oxygen, light, and moisture are the key environmental factors causing this process. The substances produced during spoilage not only cause unpleasant odors, color changes, and texture alterations in food, but also generate highly toxic substances such as malondialdehyde (MDA).

Fig 1. Role of oak (Quercus sp.) phenolic acids in food rancidity prevention. (Othón-Díaz ED, et al., 2023)

Our Service

Aprofood is capable of designing appropriate testing plans based on the specific product characteristics that the customers wish to test. Our services include analyzing various lipid rancidity indicators to determine the degree of lipid oxidation and predict the stability of the products, as well as identifying lipid degradation products (aldehydes and ketones).

Acid Value (AV)

The Acid Value (AV) serves as an indicator for evaluating the content of free fatty acids in samples. We determine the AV through titration using an indicator-based endpoint detection method, which assesses the hydrolytic rancidity of samples. This method applies to edible oils, fried foods, and nut products.

Peroxide Value (POV)

POV refers to the oxidation process of unsaturated fatty acids in oil, which leads to the formation of peroxides. As an early indicator of oil deterioration, POV is measured using iodine titration or colorimetry. This analytical method is suitable for assessing the degree of oil oxidation in fried foods and oil-containing products.

Hexanal

Hexanal, characterized by its grassy odor, exhibits a positive correlation between its concentration and the oxidation degree of ω-6 fatty acids. This volatile compound is widely used as a marker for assessing spoilage risks in animal fats and deep-sea fish products. The higher the hexanal content, the closer the product approaches the end of its shelf life.

p-Anisidine Value (p-AV)

The p-anisidine value (p-AV) quantifies the content of aldehyde compounds in edible oils, reflecting the level of secondary oxidation products formed during advanced lipid oxidation. The more times the cooking oil is reused, the higher the p-AV value will be, indicating that the oil has undergone more severe oxidation. This parameter is applicable for the quality assessment of unsaturated vegetable oils, such as flaxseed oil, and animal oils, such as fish oil.

Thiobarbituric Acid Value (TBA Value)

The thiobarbituric acid (TBA) value measures malondialdehyde (MDA), an important secondary oxidation product in oxidized oils. Our colorimetric assay measures aldehyde and ketone compounds generated during lipid peroxidation, providing a reliable assessment of oxidative stability in high-temperature processed foods.

p-Methoxyaniline Value (p-MAV)

The secondary oxidation products in oils and fats, namely aldehyde and ketone compounds, can be quantified using p-MAV as an indicator. This method determines the absorbance generated from the reaction between these oxidative by-products (primarily aldehydes and ketones) and 4-methoxyaniline, enabling rapid detection of oxidation derivatives in emulsions and lipid-containing dairy products.

Analyzing the degree of rancidity of lipids, fats and oils is not an easy task. Factors such as fat properties, product type, fat content, and composition all affect the test results. Aprofood selects the appropriate testing method to provide customers with accurate and reliable results for food oxidation status detection. For more information on our services or to discuss your project needs, please feel free to contact us.

Reference:

1. Othón-Díaz ED.; et al. Antioxidants in Oak (Quercus sp.): Potential Application to Reduce Oxidative Rancidity in Foods[J]. Antioxidants. 2023, 12(4):861.

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