QUANTIFICATION OF 5-ALPHA-CHOLESTANE-3-BETA,5,6-BETA-TRIOL AND OTHER CHOLESTEROL OXIDATION-PRODUCTS IN FAST-FOOD FRENCH FRIED POTATOES

Concerns about toxicity of cholesterol oxidation products (COPS) prompted this study. Two restaurants were selected which use animal-vegetable (A/V) shortening for deep-frying. The survey of COPS for 30 days indicated values for total COPS in French fried potatoes were 20 +/- 9 ppm to 24 +/- 6 ppm. 5-alpha-Cholestane-3-beta,5,6-beta-triol (triol) was identified in French fried potatoes from one restaurant. The mean for triol was 9 +/- 3 ppm. Triol, 7-alpha-hydroxycholesterol, 7-beta-hydroxycholesterol and 7-ketocholesterol were confirmed by co-chromatography and mass spectrometry. Triol is one of the most potent of angiotoxic COPS. This and other studies suggested French fried potatoes and other deep fried foods cooked in A/V shortening are a major source of COPS.