CHARACTERISTICS OF LIPID

Name: T.L.V.Peiris
Index No: GS/MSc/Food/3630/08

University : University of Sri Jayawardenapura

Introduction
Lipids are formed from structural units with a pronounced hydrophobicity. This solubility
characteristic, rather than a common structural feature, is unique for this class of compounds.
Lipids are soluble in organic solvents but not in water. Water insolubility is the analytical
property used as the basis for their facile separation from proteins and carbohydrates.
Some lipids are surface-active since they are amphiphilic molecules (contain both hydrophilic
and hydrophobic moieties). Hence, they are polar and thus distinctly different from neutral
lipids.The majority of lipids are derivatives of fatty acids. In these so-called acyl lipids the fatty
acids are present as esters and in some minor lipid groups in amide form. The acyl residue
influences strongly the hydrophobicity and the reactivity of the acyl lipids.

Primarily triacylglycerols (also called triglycerides) are deposited in some animal tissues and
organs of some plants. Lipid content in such storage tissues can rise to 15–20% or higher and
so serve as a commercial source for isolation of triacylglycerols. When this lipid is refined, it is
available to the consumer as an edible oil or fat.The nutritive/physiological importance of lipids
is based on their role as fuel molecules (37 kJ/gor 9 kcal/g triacylglycerols) and as a source of
essential fatty acids and vitamins. Apart from these roles, some other lipid properties are
indispensable in food handling or processing.These include their melting behavior and the
pleasant creamy or oily taste that is recognized by a receptor, which has recently been identified.
Therefore, there are all together six taste qualities.
Fats also serve as solvents for certain taste substances and numerous odor substances. On the
whole, fats enrich the nutritional quality and are of importance in food to achieve the desired
texture, specific mouthfeel and aroma, anda satisfactory aroma retention. In addition, foods can
be prepared by deep frying, i. e. by dipping the food into fat or oil heated to a relatively
hightemperature.
The lipid class of compounds also includes some important food aroma substances or precursors
which are degraded to aroma compounds. Some lipid compounds are indespensable as food
emulsifiers,while others are important as fat- or oilsolublepigments or food colorants.

4.1. Specific gravity of oils

4.1.1. Materials
Oil samples
Specific gravity bottles
Weighing scale

4.1.2. Method
Pre weighed specific gravity bottle of 50 mL capacity was filled with distilled water at 30 ºC to
overflow and inserted the stopper. After inserting the stopper the bottle was immersed in a water
bath at 30 ºC for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes bottle was removed from the water bath and
wiped till it became completely dry.
Weight of the bottle and contents was taken.
Oil samples were cooled to 30 ºC and filled with oil (coconut oil) to the dried specific gravity
bottle as before. Then the stopper was inserted and bottle was wiped off. Weight of the bottle and
palm oil was taken.
Then the specific gravity of oil was calculated using following formula.

Specific Gravity = W3-W1

W2-W1
Where,
W1= Weight of empty SG bottle
W2= Weight of SG bottle + Water
W3 = Weight of SG bottle + oil

4.1.3. Results
For palm oil

Specific Gravity = W3-W1

W2-W1
= 73.3815g-29.4648g
77.7672-29.4648g
= 43.9167
48.3024

Lipid Characteristics Page 2

 = 0 .91
For soya oil

Specific Gravity = W3-W1

W2-W1
= 74.7305g-28.3128g
79.1478g-28.3128g

= 46.4177g
50.8350g
= 0.91

4.2. Viscosity of oils

4.2.1. Materials
Viscometer [canon fenska viscometer]
Oil samples
Water
4.2.2. Method
Viscosity of oil samples were measured using Canon Fenska viscometer.
100 ml of distilled water was added to the left arm of the viscometer. Time taken for water to
move from lower mark to the upper mark of the right arm was noted. Experiment was repeated
for five times with water.
Same procedure was followed for the oil samples and experiments were repeated for five times
to get an average value.
Viscosity was calculated using following formula

Time = Viscosity
Density
Results

For palm oil

Time = Viscosity
Density
55 X60 = Viscosity
0.91 X1000
Viscosity = 3003000

For water

Time = Viscosity
Density
2 X 60 = Viscosity
1000
Viscosity = 2 X60 X1000

= 120000

Lipid Characteristics Page 3

4.3. Saponification value
4.3.1. Materials
Weighing scale
Beakers
Burettes
Pipettes
Conical flask
Pumice stones
Alcoholic KOH
0.5 M HCL
4.3.2. Method
2g of sample was weighed into conical flasks.
25 mL of alcoholic KOH and few pieces of pumice stones were added to both samples.
Another conical flask was taken and 25mL of alcoholic KOH and few pieces of pumice stones
were added in order to carry out the blank test.
Air flux condensers were fixed to all flasks and allowed them to boil for an hour, shaking flasks
frequently.
After one hour samples were titrated with 0.5M HCl.
Saponification values of samples were calculated using following formula.

Saponification Value = (b-a) X 28.05

Weight in grams of sample

b – mL of HCl acid used in the blank titration

a – mL of HCl acid used for the sample

Results

For palm oil

Saponification Value = (b-a) X 28.05

Weight in grams of sample
= (40.60ml-27.70ml) X 28.05
2.0489 g
= 176.60

For Soya oil

Saponification Value = (b-a) X 28.05

Weight in grams of sample
= (40.60ml-27.75ml) X 28.05
2.0847 g
= 172.89

4.4. Iodine value

Lipid Characteristics Page 4

4.4.1. Materials
Beakers
Iodine titration flask
Burettes
Pipettes
Weighing scale
Wij’s solution containing iodine monochloride
KI, 100g/liter solution
Sodium thiosulphate 0.1M – 500g
Carbon tetra chloride solution
Distilled water
Starch solution

4.4.2. Method
Samples were weighed into small tubes (melting point tubes). For palm oil 0.35 g were taken.
Sample containing small tubes were kept in the iodine flasks separately and 20 mL of CCl4 was
added to each flask. Flask was shook well until the oil gets mixed thoroughly. 20 mL of Wij’s
reagent was added to all the flasks. A blank test was also carried out. All the flasks were kept in
dark for 30 min. After 30 min. 20 mL of 10% KI and 150 mL of distilled water was added to
each flask and titrated with 0.1M sodium thiosulphate solution. Few drops of starch were added
when the colour of the solution turned into straw color while titrating. Titration was continued
till the blue colour turned into colourless.
Iodine values for the two oil samples were obtained using the following formula.

Iodine Value = (b-a) X 1.269

Weight of the sample

Where,
b - Volume of sodium thio sulphate solution required for the blank test
a – Volume of the sodium thio sulphate solution required for the sample

Results

For Palm oil

Iodine Value = (48.40ml-12.01ml) X 1.269

0.7951g
= 58.07
For Soya oil

Iodine Value = (48.40ml-3.40 ml) X 1.269

0.7269g
= 78.56

.5. Acid value

4.5.1. Materials
Conical flasks

Lipid Characteristics Page 5

Pipette
Water bath
Burette
Weighing scale
Hot neutral alcohol
Indicator (phenolphthalein)
0.5M Sodium hydroxide

4.5.2. Method
5 g from sample was weighed into conical flasks and 75-100 mL of hot neutral alcohol was
added to each flask. Then 0.5 mL of indicator (phenolphthalein) was added and titrated
immediately with 0.5M sodium hydroxide while shaking to the first pink colour which will
persist for 30 seconds.
Acid value was calculated using the following formula.

Acid Value = Titrated volume (ml) X M X 56.10

Weight of the sample
Results

For Palm oil

Acid Value = Titrated volume (ml) X M X 56.10

Weight of the sample

= 0.1 ml X 0.5X 56.10

6.4932
= 0.43
For Soya oil

Acid Value = Titrated volume (ml) X M X 56.10

Weight of the sample

= 0.1 ml X 0.5X 56.10

5.9546
= 0.47

4.6. Peroxide value

4.6.1. Materials
Boiling tube
Conical flask
Pipettes
Burettes
Weighing scale
Powdered potassium iodide
Glacial acetic acid
Chloroform

Lipid Characteristics Page 6

5% potassium iodide solution
Distilled water
0.002M sodium thiosulphate solution

4.6.2. Method
1g from sample was weighed out into clean dry boiling tubes. 1g of powdered potassium iodide
and 20 mL of solvent mixture (2 volumes of glacial acetic acid + 1 volume of chloroform) were
added to both sample containing boiling tubes and placed them in a water bath in order to make
the solutions boiling within 30 seconds.
Then the contents were poured in to a flask containing 20 mL of 5% potassium iodide solution.
Tube was washed twice with 25mL of water and titrated with 0.002M sodium thiosulphate
solution using starch as the indicator. Same procedure was done to for the blank.
Peroxide value was calculated using the following formula.

Peroxide value = (v-v0) X 1000 meq/kg

M
Where,
m = weight of the sample
Vo = volume of sodium thio sulphate blank reading
V = volume of sodium thio sulphate for sample

Results

For palm oil

Peroxide value = (v-v0) X 1000 meq/kg
M
= ( 10.30ml-0.00ml) 0.002 X 1000 meq/Kg
1.0120g
= 20.355 X 1000
For soya oil

Peroxide value = (v-v0) X 1000 meq/kg

M
= ( 18.50ml-0.00ml) 0.002 X 1000 meq/Kg
1.0230g
= = 36.17 X1000

Discussion

According to codex standards the values and determination method of some parameters are as
below.

Parameter Determination Method Value

Lipid Characteristics Page 7

Determination of iodine Wijs - ISO 3961: 1996; Palm oil 50-55
value or AOAC 993.20; or
AOCS Cd 1d-1992 (97); Palm kernel oil 14.1-21.0
or NMKL 39(2003)

Determination of According to AOCS Cd Refined oils up to 10

peroxide value 8b-90 (03); or ISO 3960: milliequivalents of
2001 active oxygen/kg
oil
Cold pressed and up to 15
virgin oils milliequivalents of
active oxygen/kg
oil
Determination of According to ISO 660: Refined oils 0.6 mg KOH/g Oil
acidity 1996, amended 2003; Cold pressed and 4.0 mg KOH/g Oil
or AOCS Cd 3d-63 (03) virgin oils
Virgin palm oils 10.0 mg KOH/g
Oil
Determination of According to IUPAC Palm oil 0.891-0.899
relative density 2.101, with the (500C)
appropriate conversion
factor. Palm kernel oil 0.

Determination of According to ISO 3657: Palm oil 190-290 mg

saponification value 2002; or AOCS Cd 3-25 KOH/g oil
(03)
Palm kernel oil 230-254mg
KOH/g oil

Below are some important definitions given on codex standards.

Edible vegetable oils are foodstuffs which are composed primarily of glycerides of fatty acids
being obtained only from vegetable sources. They may contain small amounts of other lipids
such as phosphatides, of unsaponifiable constituents and of free fatty acids naturally present in
the fat or oil.
Virgin oils are obtained, without altering the nature of the oil, by mechanical procedures, e.g.
expelling or pressing, and the application of heat only. They may have been purified by washing
with water, settling, filtering and centrifuging only.
Cold pressed oils are obtained, without altering the oil, by mechanical procedures only, e.g.
expelling or pressing, without the application of heat. They may have been purified by washing
with water, settling, filtering and centrifuging only.

**The slight higher value for specific gravity in our result must be due to temperature difference.
Since we have conducted this in room temperature at about 30oC. The codex value is given in
50 oC.

Lipid Characteristics Page 8

Palm oil is derived from the fleshy mesocarp of the fruit of the oil palm (Elaeis guineensis).
Palm oil is naturally reddish because it contains a high amount of beta-carotene (though boiling
palm oil destroys the beta-carotene, rendering the oil colourless). Palm oil is one of the few
vegetable oils relatively high in saturated fats (like palm kernel oil and coconut oil). It is thus
semi-solid at typical temperate climate room temperatures, though it will more often appear as
liquid in warmer countries.
Palm oil contains several saturated and unsaturated fats in the forms of lauric (0.1%, saturated),
myristic (0.1%, saturated), palmitic (44%, saturated), stearic (5%, saturated), oleic (39%,
monounsaturated), linoleic (10%, polyunsaturated), and linolenic (0.3%, polyunsaturated) acids.
Like any vegetable oils, palm oil is designated as cholesterol-free, though saturated fat intake
increases both LDL and HDL cholesterol.
Palm oil is a very common cooking ingredient in southeast Asia and the tropical belt of Africa.
Its increasing use in the commercial food industry in other parts of the world is buoyed by its
cheaper pricing and the high oxidative stability of the refined product
Palm oil contains more saturated fats than some other vegetable oils. The palm fruit yields two
distinct oils - palm oil and palm kernel oil.

Fatty acid content of palm oil

Type of fatty
pct
acid
Palmitic C16   44.3%

Stearic C18   4.6%

Myristic C14   1.0%

Oleic C18   38.7%

Linoleic C18   10.5%

Other/Unknown   0.9%
green: Saturated; blue: Mono unsaturated; orange: Poly
unsaturated
Fatty acid content of palm kernel oil
Type of fatty
pct
acid
Lauric C12   48.2%

Myristic C14   16.2%

Palmitic C16   8.4%

Lipid Characteristics Page 9

Capric C10   3.4%

Caprylic C8   3.3%

Stearic C18   2.5%

Oleic C18   15.3%

Linoleic C18   2.3%

Other/Unknown   0.4%
green: Saturated; blue: Mono unsaturated; orange: Poly
unsaturated

Reference

1. CODEX STANDARD FOR NAMED VEGETABLE OILS CODEX STAN 210-1999

2. wikepedia

3. H.-D. Belitz · W. Grosch · P. Schieberle, Food Chemistry 4th revised and

extended ed.

Lipid Characteristics Page 10