Acta Pharm. 48 (1998) 289-294

Modification of method for determination of fatty acids in
peanuts by capillary gas chromatography

VESNA RIZOVA,  MILAN NIKODINOVSKI,¹  and   TRAJCE STAFILOV² 

¹Republic Institute of Health Protection,   Skopje,   Macedonia
²Institute of Chemistry,  Faculty of Science,   St. Cyril and Methodius University,  Skopje,  Macedonia  

A modification of the method for determination of fatty acids in peanut oil by capillary gas chromatography is presented. After lipid extraction from peanut beans, saponification and isolation of fatty acids took place. The fatty acids were transformed to appropriate methyl esters and their separations were performed by capillary gas chromatography. Mostly used esterification agent, BF₃, is a corrosive, so, the aim of this work was to substitute BF₃ with less toxic and corrosive agent, as methanolic solution of sulfuric acid. The recovery of the method ranged from 89.3 % [for palmitic acid (RSD 4.2 %)] to 97.3 % [for lauric acid (RSD 2.8 %)]. The results of the determination of different peanut samples from the Strumica region, Macedonia, are given.

Keywords: fatty acids, peanut oil, capillary gas chromatography