Assessment of fat-and-oil products quality conformity (safflower oil)

Abstract

The study aims to analyse the qualitative characteristics of safflower oil, including its fatty acid profile, and determine the acid and peroxide numbers. The study also investigated the levels of heavy metals in the oil and assessed its potential as an inhibitor of α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymatic activity. In this study, standardised methods were used to analyse the fatty acid composition of safflower oil using a standard mixture of 37 fatty acid methyl esters (Supelco™ 37 Component FAME Mix), which ensured high accuracy in determining the fatty acid composition. The physical properties of safflower oil, such as density (0.94) and specific gravity (0.917), depend on the fatty acid composition and temperature. The refractive index, determined at 1.469, was used to estimate changes in the oil’s unsaturation and viscosity (45.6 cP). Colour parameters (lightness 45.24, red-green scale -2.87, yellowblue scale 21.04) confirm the authenticity of the oil. The results of gas chromatographic analysis confirmed that the composition of the samples did not meet the requirements of the standard. The study also included the evaluation of the inhibitory activity of safflower oil against the enzymes α-amylase and α-glucosidase, where one of the samples showed significant inhibition of α-amylase activity and the other α-glucosidase activity, indicating their potential use as natural inhibitors. The safety control of heavy metal content showed that the levels of lead, cadmium and other toxic elements in the oil are well below the permissible limits, confirming its safety for consumption. These data indicate that, although some safflower oil samples do not meet the standards for fatty acid composition, its potential as a natural enzyme inhibitor and safety in terms of heavy metal content opens up prospects for further research and possible optimisation of production processes