Tocopherol, tocotrienol and plant sterol contents of vegetable oils and industrial fats
Abstract
The tocopherol and tocotrienol (i.e. tocol) and plant sterol contents of 14 vegetable and 9 industrial fats and oils available on the Finnish market in 2005 were determined using NP-HPLC with fluorescence detection (tocols) and GC-FID (plant sterols). Best sources of α-tocopherol were wheat germ (192 mg/100 g) and sunflower oil (59 mg/100 g). Oils richest in γ-tocopherol were camelina (72 mg/100 g), linseed (52 mg/100 g) and organic rapeseed oil (51 mg/100 g). Total tocol contents were between 4.2 mg/100 g (coconut fat) and 268 mg/100 g (wheat germ oil). Plant sterol contents ranged from 69 mg/100 g in a frying fat to 4240 mg/100 g in wheat germ oil. Organic rapeseed oil, the second best source of plant sterols, contained 887 mg/100 g. The variations of the total tocol and sterol contents in 10 rapeseed oil sub-samples analysed separately were 9.7% for tocols and 9.9% for sterols in refined rapeseed oil, and 6.3% for tocols and 4.2% for sterols, respectively, in cold-pressed rapeseed oil. In addition to the target compounds, plastochromanol-8 could be determined in all plant-based samples with contents ranging from 0.13 (walnut oil) to 18 mg/100 g (linseed oil). The lignans sesamin and sesamolin could be identified in sesame oil.
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Coconut oil has the lowest sterol content among common edible vegetable oils; it contains 114 mg/100 g of sterols, whereas virgin olive oil, sunflower oil, and soybean oil contain 256 mg/100 g, 451 mg/100 g, and 871 mg/100 g, respectively.
“Comparative studies have consistently shown that CO has the lowest sterol content among common edible vegetable oils. For instance, CO contains 114 mg/100 g of sterols, whereas virgin olive oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, soybean oil, and contain 256 mg/100 g, 451 mg/100 g, and 871 mg/100 g, respectively [84].”
From Nutritional composition and bioactive properties of tropical coconut palm fruit with functional food applications (2025) · cites this paper as [84]
β-sitosterol is the most abundant sterol in coconut oil, with a concentration of 45 mg/100 g, higher than other individual sterols measured in coconut oil.
“Studies support this finding, reporting that among the sterols present in coconut oil, β-sitosterol is the most abundant, with a concentration of 45 mg/100 g, higher than the amounts of other individual sterols measured in CO [84].”
From Nutritional composition and bioactive properties of tropical coconut palm fruit with functional food applications (2025) · cites this paper as [84]
α-Tocopherol has been detected in coconut fruit oil.
“Researchers also detected α-tocopherol, another form of vitamin E, in coconut fruit oil [84].”
From Nutritional composition and bioactive properties of tropical coconut palm fruit with functional food applications (2025) · cites this paper as [84]
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Abdul Hadi, N., Ng, M. H., Choo, Y. M., Hashim, M. A., & Jayakumar, N. S. (2015) · Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society · doi:10.1007/s11746-015-2720-6 · Cited by 66 · see citing works
Mikrou, T., Pantelidou, E., Parasyri, N., Papaioannou, A., Kapsokefalou, M., Gardeli, C., & Mallouchos, A. (2020) · Molecules · doi:10.3390/molecules25173818 · Cited by 59 · see citing works
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Ajibola, O. O. (2025) · Discover Food · doi:10.1007/s44187-025-00746-3 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
- Authors
- Schwartz, H., Ollilainen, V., Piironen, V., & Lampi, A.-M.
- Affiliations
- University of Vienna (AT)
- University of Helsinki (FI)
- Corresponding author
- Schwartz, Heidi
- Venue
- Journal of Food Composition and Analysis
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2008-03
- Volume
- 21
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 152-161
- ISSN
- 0889-1575 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2071747410
- Cited by
- 461
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 19 · 2023: 19 · 2022: 26 · 2021: 32 · 2020: 35 · 2019: 36 · 2018: 24 · 2017: 20 · 2016: 28 · 2015: 34 · 2014: 39 · 2013: 40 · 2012: 37
- FWCI
- 5.23
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Food Composition and Analysis (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Chemistry › Organic Chemistry › Edible Oils Quality and Analysis
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Biochemistry › Antioxidant Activity and Oxidative Stress
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Food Science › Food and Agricultural Sciences
- Keywords
- tocopherols, tocotrienols, phytosterols, vegetable oils, wheat germ oil, rapeseed oil, linseed oil, sunflower oil, camelina oil, sesamin, sesamolin, plastochromanol-8, lignans, alpha-tocopherol, gamma-tocopherol, food composition
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