3-MBPD esters in edible oils: occurrence and analysis

Abstract: Fatty acid esters of 2- & 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol (2- & 3-MCPDE) and glycidol (GE) are heat-induced food-borne contaminants which might have adverse health effects to consumers. As these compounds are generated mainly during the refining of edible oils and fats or by heat-treatment of other oil- & fat containing foods, they do occur widespread in a large variety of essential foods and correspondingly raised a lot of attention from NGOs and authorities.

Due to the importance of this topic, a large number of analytical methods for the determination of 3-MCPD(E) and GE in various foods has been invented. Meanwhile, a series of officially validated methods is available for analysis of edible oils and fats. Most prevalent for routine analysis are so-called indirect methods that are based on ester-hydrolysis and determination of the released core analytes. All these methods include a transformation of the instable free glycidol, either into induced 3-MCPD or - more commonly - into induced 3-MBPD. The latter approach is based on the assumption that free 3-MBPD or 3-MBPD fatty acid esters do not occur in edible oils & fats.

In this lecture, investigations on the possible occurrence of 3-MBPDE in vegetable and marine edible oils will be outlined as well as the impact of originally in edible oils occurring 3-MBPDE on the applicability of indirect analytical routine methods. Finally, a solution for the parallel determination of 2 & 3-MBPDE, 2- & 3-MCPDE and GE will be presented.