Comparative Study of Oxidative Spoilage Effect on Margarine and Palm Oil Sold in Makurdi Benue State Nigeria

Abstract

Palm oil and Margarine are consumed in substantive quantities in various communities of Benue State Nigeria and so require attention especially in the areas of their handling and preservation . Palm oil is one of the few highly saturated vegetable fats and is semi-solid at room temperature. Like most plant-based products, palm oil contains very little cholesterol. Margarine is a manufactured, vegetable-oil-based substitute for butter made through a multi-step process whereby vegetable oils are extracted from corn, cottonseed, soybeans or safflower seeds. Their exposure to atmospheric conditions makes their wholesomeness a thing of concern especially their taste and colour.According toR. MacRae, R.K. Robinson, and M.J. Sadler (1993) as soon as a food, feed, or ingredient is manufactured, it begins to undergo a variety of chemical and physical changes. Oxidation of lipids is one common and frequently undesirable chemical change that may impact flavor, aroma, nutritional quality .Margarine also become rancid when exposed to air , heat , light and in some cases even the oxidized fats which interact with proteins and carbohydrates causing changes in texture.The peroxide value PV test is a usual test that measures the stability of various foods and so in 45 days margarine and palm oil were kept in a laboratory exposed atmosphere at an average temperature of 30oC and the measured peroxide value PV of margarine was an average of 0.346 meq/kg , while that of palm oil 0.186 meq/kg showing slower tendency of oxidative reactivity of palm oil and its stability on exposure compared to margarine . Keywords: Oils, Volatiles, Peroxides, Saturation, Manufactured.