Quality of Vegetable Oil in Rural Punjab: Study on Soybean Oils

Abstract

Abstract: Soybean oil is the second highest-produced vegetable oil in India. Due to the high unsaturated fatty acid content, this oil is highly susceptible to oxidation. Even though branded oils are supposed to adhere to BIS standards, the quality of this vast unbranded oil segment requires monitoring. Furthermore, in the branded category, quality assessment is required on the end-user side because monitoring is primarily done on the production side. Monitoring is especially important in rural markets, which are frequently overlooked. Thus the present work describes the physicochemical properties of different branded and non-branded soybean oil sold in the market of Talwandi Sabo, district Bathinda. Four samples are collected randomly. Their refractive index, specific gravity, surface tension, Viscosity, acid value and peroxide value were determined. The observed values were in the range 1.473 to 1.474 (refractive index), 0.9216 to 0.9237 g/ml (specific gravity), 37.479 to 40.945 mΝ/m (surface tension), 61.602 to 68.973 mPa.s (Viscosity), 0.140 to 0.477 mg of KOH/g (acid value) and 1.075 to 6.331 milliequivalent/Kg (peroxide value). Observed data showed that the samples were good in all parameters. However, Sample C has a high acid and peroxide value but is still good for consumption. There is a need to study the quality of vegetable oil sold in the rural market in India. Since all these markets are not regularly monitored, there is a possibility of adulteration in the supply chain.