Total Oxidation in Oils (TOTOCS) Value: Food Quality and Safety

Why is Total Oxidation in Oils (TOTOX) Value Measured?

What is Total Oxidation (TOTOX) Value?

During storage, the effects of physical and chemical factors such as oxygen, metal ions, temperature and light lead to the deterioration of oils. This situation affects oil quality. The most critical value in terms of quality in oils is the oxidation level. In order to determine the oxidation level of oils, the primary oxidation products are calculated by the hydroperoxidases peroxide number method, while the secondary oxidation products are calculated by measuring the P- Anisidin value.

The P- Anisidine value can be used as an approximate measure to estimate the storage stability of freshly processed oils. Peroxide number serves to detect the primary products of lipid oxidation, while P- Anisidine measures the secondary products (aldehydes and ketones). The total oxidation (totox) value is calculated to find the maximum level of oxidation products in the same oil.

The quality value of edible oils is determined by the “Totox Value”. It is calculated using peroxide and p- anisidine value.

Totox Value= 2 X Peroxide Number + P-Anisidine value.

In line with the studies conducted, the critical limits of oils are reported as <5 mEq/kg for peroxide number, <20 for P- Anisidine value and <26 for Totox value, respectively.

The Totox value takes into account the current state of the product (using peroxide number) and its history (P-Anisidine value). Accordingly, the differences in the Totox value are of greater importance than the individual values. Although this method has been known for some time, there are no limits or official standard quality criteria for oils.

What is the Importance of TOTOX Value?

The quality of fats plays a critical role in the flavor, nutritional value and safety of a food product. Oxidation of fats can affect not only taste and odor, but also their nutritional content. Oxidized fats often produce harmful compounds such as trans fatty acids, which can be associated with diseases such as heart disease and cancer. Furthermore, as oxidation progresses, the shelf life of food products is shortened and their nutritional value is lost.

By determining the level of oxidation of fats,the TOTOX value indicates when products start to deteriorate or are at an increased risk of spoilage. This is an important parameter, especially for food manufacturers and processors:

1. Monitoring Food Quality: Since the degree of oxidation of fats is an indicator of the quality of products, the quality of fats can be monitored with the TOTOXS value.
2. Health Risk Management: High TOTOX values can increase potential health risks (e.g., harms of oxidized fats). Monitoring these values is important to ensure food safety.
3. Shelf Life and Storage Conditions: Oxidation of fats depends on storage conditions. The TOTOX value provides information about the shelf life of food products and determines appropriate storage conditions.

What are the Factors Affecting the TOTOX Value?

The rate of oxidation in fats varies depending on a number of factors. These factors include:

1. Fat Type: Unsaturated fats oxidize more easily than saturated fats. In particular, unsaturated fats such as olive oil, sunflower oil and soybean oil are more prone to oxidation.
2. Temperature: High temperatures accelerate fat oxidation. Temperature control during food processing and storage is important to prevent oxidation.
3. Light and Oxygen: Oxidation of fats is accelerated, especially when they come into contact with light and oxygen. Therefore, oils should be stored in light-proof packages and in oxygen-free environments.
4. Additives and Preservatives: Antioxidants and preservatives can inhibit the oxidation of fats. Some food manufacturers may use additives such as BHA (butylhydroxyanisole) and BHT (butylhydroxytoluene) to prevent oxidation.

Nano-lab Laboratories Group continues to provide services within the scope of Total Oxidation in Oils (TOTOX) Value Analysis. We also provide services in Olive Oil Analysis.

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