Characterization of Vegetable Oils by Fluorescence Spectroscopy

Results presented in this paper show the ability to analyze vegetable oils with very cheap and easy method based on fluorescence spectroscopy. We have recorded, with a very simple experimental set up, fluorescence spectra for several vegetable oils at excitation wavelength λex = 370 nm. After deconvolution, using a Lorentzian profile, and identification of the stripes forming the spectra, a normalization of the intensities was made with respect to the vitamin E band with λ= 525 nm taken as reference. A statistical method based on Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is used to emphasize differences between refined and unrefined oils. We also noticed a significant difference between fluorescence of the argan cosmetic oil and edible argan oil due to the heating of the second one during its preparation. Stability to thermal oxidation of high oleic sunflower oil compared to the extra virgin olive, argan cosmetic and refined corn oils is also shown.