Pages: (91-101 )
Abstract
This study assessed the quality of oil extracted from plantain chips vended within Oshogbo metropolis. Three different samples of plantain chips were purchased from Oshogbo, Osun state, Nigeria. The chemical properties and fatty acid compositions of the soxhlet-extracted oils were determined according to AOAC methods and by using the Gas Chromatograph equipped with a flame ionization detector (FID), respectively. The iodine values obtained for samples A, B and C were 88.10±0.03, 125.70±0.02 and 140.00±0.01mg/g, respectively. Free fatty acid (FFA) values were 3.82±0.02, 1.52±0.04 and 1.61±0.01 %, for A, B and C respectively. Sample A, B and C had peroxide value of 2.63±0.03, 3.60±0.05 and 4.20±0.04 meq/kg, respectively, while saponification values of samples A, B and C were 182.30±0.01, 232.40±0.01 and 238.00±0.02 mgKOH/g, respectively. The fatty acid compounds found in the samples were, 27 for sample A, 31 for each of samples B and C. Total unsaturated fatty acid was found to be higher than the Total saturated fatty acid. Sample A had the smallest amount of poly-unsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) compared to the PUFAs content of the other samples. The Oleic acid content was found to be higher in samples A and C, while samples A and C had higher values of mono-unsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) compared to the MUFAs content of sample B. This study indicates that there are variations in the stability of the oil samples as exhibited by the various values obtained for the chemical parameters.
Keywords: Fried plantain chips; frying; free fatty acids and quality of oil.,