A multivariate study of the correlation between tocopherol content and fatty acid composition in vegetable oils

• Published in: Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society 1997-04, Vol.74 (4), p.375-380
• Main Authors: Kamal-Eldin, A. (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.), Andersson, R
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: ACEITES VEGETALES; ACIDE GRAS; ACIDOS GRASOS; Biological and medical sciences; Biosynthesis; Composition; Fat industries; fatty acid; Fatty acid composition; FATTY ACIDS; Food industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; HUILE VEGETALE; Linoleic acid; Linolenic acid; multivariate statistics; Peroxidation; PLANT OILS; Polyunsaturated fatty acids; Principal components analysis; principal‐component analysis; Questions; TOCOFEROLES; TOCOPHEROL; TOCOPHEROLS; Vegetable oils; Vegetables; Vitamin E
• ISSN: 0003-021X; 1558-9331
• DOI: 10.1007/s11746-997-0093-1

The main biochemical function of the tocopherols is believed to be the protection of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) against peroxidation. A critical question that must be asked in reference to this is whether there is a biochemical link between the tocopherol levels and the degree of unsaturation in vegetable oils, the main source of dietary PUFA and vitamin E. We used a mathematical approach in an effort to highlight some facts that might help address this question. Literature data on the relative composition of fatty acids (16:0, 16:1, 18:0, 18:1, 18:2, and 18:3) and the contents of tocopherols (α‐, β‐, δ‐, and γ‐tocopherol) in 101 oil samples, including 14 different botanical species, were analyzed by principal‐component analysis and linear regression. There was a negative correlation between α‐ and γ‐tocopherols (r=0.633, P