EFFECT OF GENETIC-MODIFICATION ON THE CONTENT AND COMPOSITION OF BIOACTIVE CONSTITUENTS IN SOYBEAN OIL

The content and composition of tocopherols, sterols, and phospholipids in soybean oils derived from genetically-modified soybeans were deter mined by normal and reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatograp hy and gas-liquid chromatography. Tocopherol content was lowered in oi ls from soybeans selected to yield high palmitate and stearate content s. However, beta-tocopherol, which amounts to less than 1 ppm in contr ol oils, was increased to 25-53 ppm in these oils. Sterol content was higher in one reduced-linolenate oil, which also had the highest oleat e content. The greatest variability was observed in the content of bet a-sitosterol, which ranged from 46.9-151.6 mg/100/g in the modified oi ls. Although, in general, there was little impact on the phospholipids , the content of phosphatidic acid was elevated in crude oils from thr ee of the lines. Increases in phosphatidic acid are generally associat ed with storage deterioration of soybeans. Individual major classes of phospholipid were isolated, and the molecular species composition of each was determined. Compositional variations in molecular species ind icated that there was an impact of the genetic modification of soybean s at the molecular level of the phospholipids that are primary plant c ell components.