Fatty Acids

Cholesterol and fatty acids, although not chemically or functionally alike, are both indicators of the nutritional value of a product.  Cholesterol is a component of crude fat that can be manufactured by the body or obtained from ingesting food products of animal origin and is classified as a sterol.

A fatty acid molecule is comprised of a chain of carbon atoms.  Lipids contain a variety of fatty acids that help determine the physical properties of fats and oils. 

The term "trans", as in Trans Fatty Acid, refers to the geometric positioning of atoms around a double bond.  These hydrogen atoms may be on the same side (cis) or on the opposite side (trans) of the double bond.

Gas Chromatography (GC) is used to determine the identities and amounts of individual fatty acids present. Fatty acid values may be reported either as relative percentages of total fatty acids present, or as weight percentages of the total sample. Eurofins offers several tests based on fatty acid compositions to accommodate a variety of needs.

Characteristic examples include: 

• Total fat and saturated fat declarations for display on food product labels
• Omega 6 and Omega 3 fatty acids testing for nutritional applications
• Total Cis and trans fatty acid characterizations
• Linoleic and arachadonic acid monitoring in pet food diets

CIS, CIS-POLYUNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS

Eurofins Scientific can determine the total amount of this subclass of polyunsaturated fatty acids using an enzymatic assay.

CIS-MONOUNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS

Our laboratories can determine the total amount of this subclass of monounsaturated fatty acids based on values obtained from the %weight/weight fatty acid analysis.

ARACHADONIC AND LINOLEIC ACIDS

Arachadonic and Linoleic Acids are fatty acids specifically important to the nutritional health of cats and dogs.

TOTAL TRANS FATTY ACIDS

Gas Chromatography (GC) Procedure

• Calculations for cis-Methylene Interrupted Monounsaturated Fatty Acids, Total Fat and Saturated Fatty Acids can be made at the same time the analysis for total trans fatty acids is conducted.

Infrared Spectrophotometric (IR) Method in Edible Oils

• Determines the total amount of isolated trans stereo isomers in natural or long chain fatty acids, esters and triglycerides that contain less than 5% conjugated materials.  This procedure is not recommended for multi-component foods.

 FAT AND OIL STABILITY/RANCIDITY ANALYSES INCLUDE:

• AOM Stability
• Color Tests (Lovibond, FAC)
• Flash Point
• Free Fatty Acids
• MIU (Moisture & Volatiles by Hot Plate, Insoluble Impurities, Unsaponifiable Matter)
• Iodine Value
• Melting Point
• Neutral Oil Loss
• p-Anisidine Value
• Peroxide Value
• Refining Loss
• Saponification Value
• Soap by Titration
• Solid Fat Index
• TBA Rancidity
• TBA Value
• Titer
• Total Fatty Acids