Near infrared spectral patterns of fatty acid analysis from fats and oils

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Abstract
A near infrared (NIR) spectral pattern of oil contains information about fatty acid composition, because NIR absorption bands around 1600–1800 nm and 2100–2200 nm are due to the straight carbon chain andcis double bonds, respectively. This study was undertaken to build a foundation for the rapid determination of the fatty acid composition in oil by an NIR method. First, NIR spectra of pure triglycerides were measured and characterized. Fatty acid compositions could be estimated roughly by comparing the spectra of fats and oils (butter fat, pig milk fat, soybean oil and palm oil) with those of pure triglycerides. Secondly, the NIR spectra of these fats and oils were reconstructed by summation of the triglyceride spectra, which are multiplied by factors corresponding to the fatty acid composition of the sample determined by gas chromatography. The calculated spectra agree with the originals, especially for that of soybean oil. However, in order to reconstruct spectra precisely, it may be necessary to reevaluate the loading weight of each triglyceride, which was equal in this study.