Trans fatty acid content in German margarines

Seventeen commercial samples of German margarines were analyzed by gas-liquid chromatography for the trans fatty acid (TFA) content including the following mixture of geometrical and positional isomers: 14:1 t9, 16:1 t9, 18:1 t6-t11, 18:2 c9t12, 18:2 t9c12, 18:2 t9t12 and 18:3 trans-isomers. Conventional vegetable and fat reduced margarines were found to contain 0.3-4.1% TFA, whereas diet margarines contained 0.2-0.5% TFA. Highest amounts of TFA were found in sunflower margarines (3.3-4.9% TFA). A significant decrease of the TFA amounts in German margarines since 1994 could be observed.