Triacylglycerol profiling by using chromatographic techniques

Triacylglycerols (TGs) make up the major part of naturally occurring fats and oils. The composition and fine structure of TGs determine to a large extent the functionality of fats and oils as food ingredients and the physiological effects of fats and oils as component of the human diet. Analysis of intact TGs is usually performed by chromatographic methods. In this article the application of gas-liquid chromatography, high-performance chromatography in normal and reversed phase mode, thin-layer chromatography and supercritical fluid chromatography for the qualitative and quantitative determination of TGs is reviewed. Emphasis is put on those factors that are decisive for obtaining reliable quantitative data. Furthermore, techniques for the stereospecific analysis of the fatty acid distribution along the glycerol backbone of TGs are presented briefly.