In the TS 4963 standard published by the Turkish Standards Institute (TSE), the requirements for unsaponifiable substances in animal and vegetable oils are explained and a test method is defined.
Unsaponifiables in vegetable oils naturally include hydrocarbons, terpene alcohols, sterols, tocopherols, and other phenolic compounds that can act as oxidation inhibitors. While vegetable oils typically contain between 0,5 and 2,5 percent unsaponifiable matter, some oils have higher levels of unsaponifiable matter, such as 5-6 percent.
Most of the cooking oils used for cooking, frying and preparing various foods come from plant sources, particularly oilseeds such as soybeans, canola, sunflower seeds, cottonseeds and peanuts. Edible vegetable oils are liquid at room temperature and consist mainly of three fatty acids attached to a glycerol molecule via ester bonds. The physical, chemical and nutritional properties of vegetable oils vary considerably depending on the type of fatty acids present in the oil. The unsaturated fatty acid content of vegetable oils is significantly higher than that of animal fats. Although high unsaturated fatty acid content makes oil healthier, highly unsaturated fats are prone to rapid oxidation and degradation during processing, transportation and storage. Vegetable oils also contain small amounts of other compounds that affect their quality and nutritional value. Unsaponifiable substances are among them.
The unsaponifiable matter includes all components that, after a process called alkali hydrolysis (saponification), are very poorly soluble in aqueous solutions but soluble in organic solvents. In simpler terms, unsaponifiables are types of lipids that cannot be converted into soap. Generally, less than 2 percent of the oil content cannot be saponified.
There are several key factors that determine the quality of unsaponifiables: the origin of the seeds or fruits, the storage and processing of the seeds or fruits prior to oil extraction, and how the unsaponifiable matter is separated and purified. The raw material used to remove unsaponifiable matter highly affects the composition of the final product.
Among the numerous test, measurement, analysis and evaluation studies it provides for businesses in various sectors, our organization also provides testing services for non-saponifiable substances in animal and vegetable oils, within the scope of TS 4963 standard, with its trained and expert staff and advanced technological equipment.
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