2024 Posters
Lipid Oxidation and Quality
Matthew M. Thelen (he/him/his)
Undergraduate Student
University of Michigan-Flint
Flint, Michigan, United States
Leen Yasin
Undergraduate Student
University of Michigan-Flint, Michigan, United States
Matthew J. Fhaner, PhD (he/him/his)
Associate Professor of Chemistry
University of Michigan
Flint, Michigan, United States
Consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) continues to be an important component of optimizing a healthy diet. PUFAs are increasingly ubiquitous in consumer diets through packaged products and quick-service restaurants reliance on edible oil high-temperature cooking methods. In the United States alone, roughly 250 billion gallons of frying oils are used in quick-service restaurants each year. While it is generally accepted that frequent consumption of fried foods is associated with negative health impacts, it may be possible to improve the overall healthfulness of frying oils through reducing PUFA oxidation. In this study, we explore utilizing a constant negative (cathodic) voltage in an effort to reduce PUFA oxidation. Four common cooking oils were studied (canola, peanut, safflower, vegetable). Each oil was split into two treatments. In the control treatment, oils were heated to 180° C and stirred. In the experimental treatment, oils were heated to 180° C, stirred, and received a constant negative voltage of -0.6 V vs. Ag/AgCl. 10 mL of oil were removed from each treatment at 0-, 2-, 4-, 6-, and 8-hrs. Samples were analyzed via square-wave voltammetry and peak currents for individual PUFAs were collected. The data suggest that the application of a -0.6 V vs. Ag/AgCl potential slowed down PUFA oxidation in vegetable, safflower, and peanut oils. No differences were observed between the control and experimental treatments for canola oil. The preliminary results suggest that with further modification and investigation it may be possible to reduce the oxidation of PUFAs in frying oils.