TESTING PROCEDURES OF BLENDED ENERGY SOURCE

1.        Acid value/FFA CONTENT is a measure of the free fatty acids in oil. Normally, fatty acids are found in the triglyceride form. THE ACCEPTABLE VALUES ARE DIRECTLY CORELATED WITH UNSATURATED FATTY ACID CONTENTS AS SUGGESTED ABOVE BY GARRET AOCS Official Method Cd 3a-63

2.        Peroxide Value is tested as an indicator of oil freshness and quality. High peroxide values are an indicator of oxidation and the greater the peroxide value, the more oxidized the oil has become. Acceptable levels for plant oils are below 10 meq/kg (measured in milli equivalents per kilogram).AOCS Official Method Cd 8-53

3.        AOM (Active Oxygen Method). This method predicts the stability of a fat by bubbling air through a solution of the fat using specific conditions of flow rate, temperature, and concentration. The AOM value is defined as the number of hours required for the peroxide concentration to reach 100 meq/kg of fat. The more stable the fat, the longer it will take to reach that level. The method is very time-consuming since a stable fat may require 48 hours or more before reaching the required peroxide concentration.  AOM method is being supplanted by faster automated techniques. The method is included in compendia published by AOAC, AACC, and AOCS.

4.        Oil Stability Index (OSI) is an American Oil Chemists Society (AOCS) approved method that determines the relative resistance of fat and oil samples to oxidation. It replaces the outdated AOM (Active Oxygen Method), The rapidity of oxidation depends on the degree of unsaturation, the presence of antioxidants, and prior storage conditions.

•       Unlike POV and FFA analyses which give an idea of how good or bad an oil is at a particular time, the OSI analysis has predictive value. OSI can be used to compare various oils to predict their respective shelf lives. The OSI analysis can also be used to evaluate the effectiveness of antioxidants or determine how much longer a oil can be used before it goes bad. AOCS, Cd 12b-92, “Oil Stability Index”

5.        Iodine Value is an index of the number of double bonds in a Fat. A high iodine value indicates high unsaturation. Iodine value is reported in terms of the grams of iodine that will react with 90-100 g of fat or oil under specified conditions. AOCS Official Method Tg 1a-64

6.        p-Anisidine value is an indicator of secondary oxidation products, including ketones and aldehydes that negatively affect oil quality. High Anisidine levels usually indicate harsh or excessive processing. For plant-based oils, industry guidelines / recommendations for Anisidine levels do not exist; however, some suppliers will test for Anisidine as a “double check” for oxidation even though peroxide may have already been tested. Acceptable levels are generally zero to TEN. AOCS Official Method Cd 18-90

7.        Moisture Value: Analysis. (i) AOCS vacuum oven method. The calibration samples were analyzed in duplicate for determination of moisture content and volatile matter using AOCS method Ca2d-25 (2) in Eyela Vacuum Oven VOS 450SD

8.        Heavy metals are naturally occurring elements. In excess, these heavy metals can have potentially harmful health effects. Acceptable levels for metals such as lead, mercury, cadmium and arsenic in plant oils should be below 10 ppm (measured in parts per million).ICP Method (inductively coupled plasma)

9.        Saponification value is a measure of the free acid and saponifiable ester groups. It is expressed as the number of milligrams of potassium hydroxide required to neutralize the free acids and saponify the esters contained in one gram of the material. Ester value is a measure of the saponifiable esters in the material. It is calculated as the difference between the saponification value and the acid value.AOCS-cd-3D

10.     FATTY ACID COMPOSITION: Before selection of Fat it’s important that Fatty acid composition of the offered product is tested. The test results in identifying the saturated and unsaturated fatty acids available in the sample. It’s gas Chromatography test, which can be conducted periodically to ensure consistency of supplies. Method: IUPAC: 2.301

The above tests are recommended to establish good quality of fat from the Bad. Some of the tests are online and easily performed at site but some such as Chromatography can be done randomly with established laboratories internationally recognized and approved.