Background: Vitamin A losses infortified vegetable oils can differ, depending upon the cooking and distribution conditions of a country.
Objective: To determine vitamin A losses in different vegetable oils during transportation, cooking, and storage among consumets of different socioeconomic status.
Methods: Soybean, rice bran, and palm oils were fortified with vitamin A palmitate at 267 microg/15 mL. The oils were packaged in 5-L metal cans and 250-mL polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles and then stored under light and dark conditions. Unopened and opened bottles were stored for 13 and 4 weeks, respectively. Fortified palm oil also was bulk transported in trucks and packaged in 1-kg polypropylene bags that were closed with rubber bands. Vitamin losses were measured after cooking at 120 degrees and 170 degrees C for 5 and 10 minutes in iron, aluminum, Teflon, and glass pans.
Results: Vitamin A losses of oils in PET bottles stored under light conditions were 20% to 25% at the 5th week and became greater than 80% after 13 weeks, whereas losses under dark conditions and in metal containers were less than 15%. Loss during bulk transportation was 25%, with no change in peroxide value. Losses in opened bottles after 4 weeks under light conditions were 50% to 90% based on the degree of oil unsaturation; however, losses under dark conditions were less than 5%. Losses after cooking at 120 degrees and 170 degrees C for 10 minutes were less than 5% and 15%, respectively. The type of pan did not affect the amount of loss. The peroxide values of oils in bottles increased during storage under light conditions.
Conclusions: Fortification of vegetable oils with vitamin A for consumers of different socioeconomic status is feasible; however, light protection is needed for better stability.