GC-FID- and acyl carbon number-based determination of characteristic groupings of complex triglyceride (Benefat S and other) mixtures.
Techniques for the gas and liquid chromatographic separation of complex mixtures of triglycerides have evolved over the past two decades, as reviewed in detail by Huang et al. (J. Agric. Food Chem. 1995, 43, 1834-1844; J. Agric. Food Chem. 1997, 45, 1770-1778). A novel method for the quantitative partitioning of complex mixtures of triglycerides into functionally related groups is developed and applied to a low-calorie triglyceride mixture [namely, Benefat S or Salatrim plus mid-chain (C(6,8,10,12)) fatty acids]. The method is based on a nonlinear calibration of retention times (RTs) of a suite of standard triglycerides on their acyl carbon numbers [(ACNs), the sum of all the acyl carbon atoms in a given triglyceride] to estimate all of the intermediate ACNs (from 6 to 66). With the calibrated ACN scale and identifications of some components of a complex mixture's composition, ACN-based partitions were established and a Benefat S-triglyceride chromatogram was partitioned into seven functionally related groups. This method is provisional in the sense that it would typically be employed when the identifications of many components of a complex, homologous series were unknown, yet functionally related groups needed to be quantified. This method has proven to be particularly useful in the intercalibration of research laboratories with production facility laboratories during complex ( approximately 50-90 compounds) and large-scale ( approximately 20 ton) syntheses because of the high reproducibility of the ACN-based partitioning of complex chromatograms. This carbon number and statistically based method can be generally applicable to other complex mixtures of organic compounds and is readily adaptable to laboratory intercalibration efforts.
Jasper
J P
JP
Pfizer Inc. and Cultor Inc., Food Science Department, Eastern Point Road, Groton, Connecticut 06340, USA. JPJasper@MolecularIsotopes.com
D002849:Chromatography, Gas / Q000379:methods; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000737:chemistry*
D004041:Dietary Fats; D014280:Triglycerides