30A-27

Microwave-assisted fatty acid analysis of oil recovered from catfish processing wastes containing high moisture content

S. SATHIVEL1, W. Prinyawiwatkul1, C. C. Grimm2, and J. M. King1. (1) Department of Food Science, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70803-4200, (2) USDA-ARS-SRRC, New Orleans, LA 70124

Lipid extraction with solvents (e.g., chloroform, methanol) is a common step of fatty acid (FA) profile analysis. High-moisture content may interfere with lipid extraction, thus drying may be required before FA-methylester (FAME) is prepared. When a sample is microwave-heated, moisture in the tissues creates localized superheating, causing rapid release of moisture, expulsion of fat/oil from fat cells, and partial release of oil to the surface. It may be possible to prepare FAME from microwave-heated samples without solvent extraction.

This study investigated efficiency of FA analysis of microwave-heated samples without solvent extraction and determined heating power(%)/time(sec) for maximal FA recovery. Catfish liver with 75%moisture was used for demonstration.

Liver was collected, ground, and microwave-heated. Microwave-heated samples were methylated with methanolic-NaOH and BF3-methanol, and analyzed with GC. Heating conditions were: 100, 80, 60 or 40%power at 1000 Watts-2450 MHz, each for 80, 60, 40, or 20 sec. Three replications, each with 3 extractions, were conducted. The traditional FA analysis with chloroform-methanol-water extraction was used as the control.

Microwave-heating at 60-100%power for 80sec removed over 50%water. FA profiles of microwave-heated samples differed (a=0.05). Principal component analysis separated 3 samples (control and two samples microwave-heated at 100%power-80sec and 80%power-80sec) from other 14 samples. Discriminant analysis identified C20:4/C16:0/C20:0 (the first dimension--59% variance explained) and C20:1/C18:0/C18:2/C16:1/C22:6 (the second dimension--cumulative 88% variance explained) as discriminating fatty acids. Recovery of C20:4, C16:0, and C20:0 of all microwave-heated samples was lower than that of the control, while higher recovery was observed for C20:1, C18:0, C18:2, C16:1, and C22:6 at 80-100%power for 60-80 sec or 60% power-80 sec. Heating at 100%power-80 sec yielded the highest recovery of DHA (C22:6w-3) and arachidonic (C20:4w-6).

Microwave-assisted FA analysis offers a faster and efficient approach to determine FA acid profiles for high-moisture containing samples, generating less chemical wastes and requiring less labor.

Session 30A, Food Chemistry: Lipids
1:00 PM - 4:30 PM, 2001-06-24 Room Hall D

2001 IFT Annual Meeting - New Orleans, Louisiana