A simplified gas liquid chromatographic determination for vitamin E in vegetable oils

and Summary A simple and rapid procedure has been developed for the isolation, concentration, esterification, and gas liquid Chromatographic (GLC) quantitation for the Vitamin E content of vegetable oils. Vitamin E is determined by saponification of the oil, ether extraction of the saponified mixture, drying and evaporation of the extract, followed by closed tube esterification and quantitation of the butyrate ester using a gas Chromatograph equipped with a hydrogen flame ionization detector. This technique eliminates the conventional thin layer Chromatographie isolation of Vitamin E normally used prior to direct or trimethylsilyl (TMS) derivative GLC quantitations. Oils fortified with Vitamin E in the 5 to 40 milligrams per 100 grams range showed recoveries of 93.4 to 98.6%.