The study of free steroids and their use in oil characterization is interesting because the distribution of these steroids varies from one oil to another. Although several papers analyze the most abundant steroids in oils, studies including less common steroids are scarce. Free steroids were extracted from unsaponifiable fraction using the saponification reaction adapted micro-scale. After extraction, steroids were characterized by gas chromatography (GC) using flame ionization (FID) and mass spectrometry (MS) detectors. All chromatographic peaks in the oils that could belong to free steroids were characterized and quantified. Results evidenced great diversity in types and levels of free steroids. Corn and moringa oils had higher levels of steroids than the other oils analyzed. Babassu, palm kernel and canola oils had the lowest steroid levels.
phytosterols; saponification reaction; GC-FID; GC-MS
