ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF SUCROSE POLYESTERS

Various chromatographic techniques for isolation and separation of hig hly esterified sucrose polyesters (SPE) of olive oil are described. Hi gh-performance size-exclusion chromatography was used to check the pur ity of the samples, particularly to show that SPE were free from unrea cted fatty acid methyl esters. Thin-layer chromatography (TLC), Iatros can TLC flame-ionization detection (FID) and highperformance liquid ch romatography (HPLC) on reversed phase were applied for separation of o cta-, hepta- and hexaesters of sucrose. Pure fractions from the total mixture, obtained by column chromatography, were identified by infrare d and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. When necessary, specifi c reactions were applied; particularly, silylation and lead acetate-di chlorofluorescein (in toluene) spray were used to ascertain the degee of esterification of sucrose. Finally, octa; hepta and hexaesters of s ucrose were quantitated by silica column chromatography, TLC/FID and H PLC on reversed-phase.