Thiocyanate peroxide value measurement

The thiocyanate method involves measurement of the peroxide value using linoleic acid as substrate and has also been widely used to measure the antioxidant activity in plant-based foods such as ginger extracts (Kikuzaki and Nakatani 1993), fruit peels (Larrauri and others 1996 1997), extracts from vegetable by-products (Larrosa and others 2002 Llorach and others 2003 Abas and others 2006 Peschel and others 2006), blueberry juice, wines, and vinegars (Su and Chien 2007). 

Several methods have been introduced which express the degree of oxidation deterioration in terms of hydroperoxides per unit weight of fat. The modified Stamm method (Hamm et at 1965), the most sensitive of the peroxide determinations, is based on the reaction of oxidized fat and 1,5-diphenyl-carbohydrazide to yield a red color. The Lea method (American Oil Chemists Society 1971) depends on the liberation of iodine from potassium iodide, wherein the amount of iodine liberated by the hydroperoxides is used as the measure of the extent of oxidative deterioration. The colorimetric ferric thiocyanate procedure adapted to dairy products by Loftus Hills and Thiel (1946), with modifications by various workers (Pont 1955 Stine et at 1954), involves conversion of the ferrous ion to the ferric state in the presence of ammonium thiocyanate, presumably by the hydroperoxides present, to yield the red pigment ferric thiocyanate. Newstead and Headifen (1981), who reexamined this method, recommend that the extraction of the fat from whole milk powder be carried out in complete darkness to avoid elevated peroxide values. Hamm and Hammond (1967) have shown that the results of these three methods can be interrelated by the use of the proper correction factors. However, those methods based on the direct or indirect determination of hydroperoxides which do not consider previous dismutations of these primary reaction products are not necessarily indicative of the extent of the reaction, nor do they correlate well with the degree of off-flavors in the product (Kliman et at. 1962). 

Peroxide value (P V) is the most commonly used measurement of lipid oxidation. The standard iodometric method requires a relatively large sample (5 g) when the lipid is only slightly oxidized. The ferric thiocyanate method, based on the oxidation of ferrous to ferric ion, involves colorimetric measurement of ferric thiocyanate. This method is more sensitive than the iodometric method and requires a relatively small sample (0.1 g). The PV is a useful measure for samples with low levels of oxidation and when the hydroperoxides are not decomposed. During prolonged oxidation, a maximum PV is reached and the value then begins to decrease due to peroxide degradation. This maximum value occurs early for soybean and rapeseed oil, due to the more rapid decomposition of the hydroperoxides of the polyunsaturated fatty acids. 

In addition to organoleptic assessment, several chemical/physical methods have been developed to measure lipid oxidation. These include peroxide value, thiobarbituric acid (TBA) value, ultraviolet absorption (at 233 nm), ferric thiocyanate, Kreis test, chemiluminescence, oxygen uptake and analysis of carbonyls by HPLC (see Rossell, 1986). 

To limit the total porosity of the coating, checking by the Iron Solution Value (ISV) test in which samples are immersed under standard conditions in a solution of sulphuric acid, hydrogen peroxide and ammonium thiocyanate, and the amount of iron dissolved is measured... 

These and similar results can be explained if the simultaneous reduction of hydrogen peroxide is due to an induced reaction. To show the characteristic features of this reaction some results are presented in Table 19 and Table 20. The procedure for these measurements was as follows. The solution of peroxy compounds given in columns 1 and 2 was made up to 20 ml and the pH was adjusted to the given value. Then potassium thiocyanate solution was added and, after the reaction time noted, the process was quenched by adding potassium iodide solution (0.3 g KI). After 5 sec the solution was acidified with 1 ml 2 iV sulphuric acid then using, molybdate catalyst solution, the iodine liberated was titrated with standard thiosulphate. 

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