Oxidative stability and triacylglycerols structure of lipid fraction from cookies for infants

The aim of this research was to analyse the quality of the lipid fraction extracted from commercially available cookies intended for infants. The composition, fatty acid distribution and oxidative stability of fats, interpreted as the resistance of fats against autooxidation, were studied. In addition, the kinetic parameters of the oxidation process, such as activation energies (E-a), pre-exponential factors (Z) and reaction rate constants (k) for fat oxidation under the differential scanning calorimetry tests conditions were calculated using the Ozawa-Flynn-Wall method and the Arrhenius equation. The distribution of fatty acids in the tested cookies is similar to that present in most of infant formulas, but differs significantly from that in human milk. Based on the results obtained, high oxidative stability of tested fats can be observed. The E-a values ranged from 86.22 to 116.13 kJ/mol; Z from 1.95 x 10(9) to 1.05 x 10(13); and k values ranged from 5.70 x 10(-4) min(-1) at 100 degrees C to 2.12 x 10(-1) min(-1) at 170 degrees C.