Cholesterol oxides content in selected animal products determined by GC-MS

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of heat treatment of selected animal products on formation of cholesterol oxidation products (COP) and also to determine their content in selected pates and fermented pork sausage which are available on the Polish market. COP content in pates was significantly lower as compared to fermented sausages, and ranged from 39.5 to 43.1 mu g/100 g; COP in sausages ranged from 195.8 to 263.4 mu g/100 g of product. COP content in pan fried meats, chops, and fish fillets varied from 6.2 to 991.2 mu g/100 g products. This paper demonstrates the method for determining the content of COP by the use of selected ion technique with the aid of MS. Practical applications: The method described is useful for the investigation of oxysterols in food matrices. The method is used for the investigation of the presence and content of COP, such as: 7 beta-hydroxycholesterol, 5 alpha,6 alpha-epoxycholesterol, 5 beta,6 beta-epoxycholesterol, 5 alpha-cholestane-3 beta,5 beta,6 beta-triol, 7-ketocholesterol, and 25-hydroxycholesterol. The obtained data about COP content in selected animal products and their formation during heat treatment are crucial for creating a reliable database to assess their daily intakes and biological effects in humans.