Abstract
The quantification of chlorophyll (Chl) pigments such as pheophytins a and b (Pheo-a and -b), and pyropheophytins a and b (Pyro-a and -b) present in edible vegetable oils was conducted by high performance-liquid chromatography (HPLC) provided with a fluorescent detecter. A reversed phase ODS column in combination with a mixture of acetone, methanol and water (60 : 36 : 4, vol) as the mobile phase was found most effective for separating Chl pigments by HPLC. The pigments were detected at an excitation wavelength of 420nm and emission wavelength of 660nm. Subsequent to the neutralized rapeseed (canola) and soybean oils, Pheo-a and -b and Pyro-a and -b could be determined by this method at the mg/kg level. The present HPLC is thus shown quite effective for the quantification of Chl pigments in edible oils.
