INVESTIGATION AND LEGAL EVALUATION OF POL YCYCLIC AROMATIC-HYDROCARBONS IN VEGETABLE FATS AND OILS

The analysis of 40 native and refined commercially available vegetable fats and oils reveals the influence of the environment and the treatm ent on the contamination with PAHs. Totally refined oils and fats have no or only a low contamination of PAHs whereas grapeseed oil contains PAHs to a high extent. This fact has to be deduced to the old-fashion ed drying process of the pressed grapes. The analytical procedure with HPLC and fluorimetric detection was done after alcaline hydrolysis. T he PAHs were extracted using the distribution between DMF, cyclohexane and water. The legal evaluation of high contaminated is discussed in regard of national and international regulations.