Determination of ester‐bound 3‐chloro‐1,2‐propanediol and glycidol in fats and oils – a collaborative study

In 2009, the Joint Committee of DIN and DGF for the Analysis of Fats, Oils, Fatty Products, Related Products and Raw Materials ( GA FETT ) published the German Standard Method C‐III 18 (09) – Ester‐bound 3‐chloropropane‐1,2‐diol (3‐MCPD‐Esters) and 3‐MCPD forming substances – Determination in fats and oils by GC‐MS . This method was validated in a collaborative trial organised by the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR). Following further work on bound 2,3‐epoxy‐1‐propanol (glycidol) as a possible precursor for 3‐MCPD‐Esters, the German Standard method was modified in 2009 to determine ester‐bound 3‐chloro‐1,2‐propandiol and 2,3‐epoxy‐1‐propanol. The modified DGF standard method, together with a similar method, developed by SGS Hamburg (Kuhlmann method), was validated in an international collaborative study. The results of this collaborative study are reported for vegetable fats and oils, using GC with mass spectrometric detection and two different deuterated internal standards. Altogether, 17 laboratories from 5 countries (D – E – F – HU – USA) expressed interest in participation. The test was carried out according to ISO 5725:1994 – Accuracy (trueness and precision) of measurement methods and results and the Guidelines for Collaborative Study Procedures To Validate Characteristics of a Method of Analysis (AOCS 2002). The results are reported. Practical application: For the quantitative determination of 3‐MCPD‐ and glycidyl‐esters in refined fats and oils standardised methods are not yet available. Two similar methods for the quantification of the sum of ester‐bound 3‐MCPD and glycidol and for ester‐bound 3‐MCPD alone were tested in an international collaborative trial.