Tocopherol physicochemical properties

Paprika Capsicum annuum) is a commonly used flavor enhancer, and following production, the seeds are treated as waste. Paprika seed oils have been evaluated for their physicochemical properties (22, 23, 32). Paprika seed oil contained more than 82% of total unsaturated fatty acids, with polyunsaturated fatty acids comprising 67.8% of total fatty acids (Table 4) (22, 23). Oleic acid was the second major fatty acid at approximately 15% of the total. This fatty acid profile was consistent with a previous observation by Domokos et al. (32) on the fatty acid profile of Hungarian paprika seed oils. Linoleic acid comprised 74.4% of the total fat, whereas oleic and palmitic acid made up 9.8% and 11.2% of total fat, respectively (32). The paprika seed oil was determined to contain 870 mg/kg oil total tocopherols, 380 mg/kg oil carotenoids, and 0.92% phytosterols (32). 

Tocopherols and tocotrienols appear to unite all necessary physicochemical properties to make them the ideal analytes for a liquid chromatographic separation and quantitation. They are nonpolar, nonvolatile, unstable, and easily detectable owing to their favorable UV, fluorescent, and electrochemical characteristics. Their nonpolar nature together with the absence of silanol sensitive functional groups minimizes unwanted chromatographic phenomena such as peak tailing and low efficiency. Unlike GC, LC of vitamin E proceeds at room temperature and does not require derivatization to improve its chromatographic properties or... 

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