Composition, characterization and atherogenic potential of oils, fats and other derivatives produced or marketed in Costa Rica

Abstract

Cardiovascular deseases are very common amongCosta Rican people. They are related to diets high in lipidsthat cause arterial damage. The present study was under-taken to determine the quality of fats and oils consumedmore frequently in our country. 15 different brands of but-ter and margarines (A, B, D1a D11), 7 types of veg-etable fat (E1a E7) and 14 different brands of sun-flower oil (EG1a EG3), corn oil (EM1a EM3), olive oil(EO1a EO4), soy oil (ES1a ES3) and palm oil (EV)(Fig. 1) were collected and identified 67 percent of theproducts were made in Costa Rica, 33% were importedproducts. Using gas chromatography and nuclear magneticresonance techniques, fatty acid composition, iodine andsaponification number, average molecular weight, carbon-carbon double bond number, allylic and double allylichydrogens were determined in the lipid fraction of the 36different products. Two types of butter and one type of oilwere found adulterated with triacylglycerols of differentkind or source. Susceptibility of the products to lipid oxida-tion was determined only in terms of double bond numberand allylic and double allylic hydrogens. Sunflower, cornand olive oils were the most susceptible products. Throughpolyunsaturated fatty acids / saturated fatty acids relationand atherogenic index the atherogenic potencial of theproducts was evaluated. The findings were that 2 types ofbutter and 5 types of vegetable fat were the most injuriousones.