Triacylglycerols fingerprint of edible vegetable oils by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-Q-ToF-MS

Triacylglycerols (TAGs) are an important source of dietary lipids that constitute an essential part of a healthy diet. The TAG profiles of vegetable oils are not arbitrary, and they are recently reported to be associated with lipid absorption and metabolism. In the present study, the TAG composition, FA composition, and their distributions in 18 commonly edible vegetable oils were analyzed and compared. The TAGs were quantified using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (Q-ToF-MS). A total of 48 TAGs were identified. The composition of FAs and their distribution on the glycerol backbone of vegetable oils were determined by gas chromatography. The TAG compositions of different types of vegetable oils were found to be significantly different. Unique patterns of the TAG profiles of vegetable oils were obtained. Linoleic acid showed a clear difference between the total fatty acid and sn-2 position of the TAGs. This study will aid the investigation of the association of TAGs in dietary lipid and human health, and the development of novel lipid-based matrixes.