Determination of Physico-chemical Properties, Cholesterol and Vitamin A Levels of Vegetable Oils commonly Sold in Ado Ekiti Metropolis

Edible vegetable oils are very important resource that are in high demand globally, and used in a variety of ways as they are considered a concentrated source of energy for human beings and carriers of oil-soluble vitamins which supply the essential fatty acids that are required for a wide range of biological and physiological functions. This work was aimed at evaluating the physicochemical properties, cholesterol content and analyzes the vitamin A contents of commonly sold vegetable oils in Ado Ekiti metropolis. The physicochemical parameters such as density, acid value, iodine value, peroxide value and saponin value, cholesterol content as well as Vitamin A content were all analyzed using standard analytical methods. Results of the physicochemical analysis showed that there was no significant difference (p>0.05) in the densities of the oil samples, It was observed that sample 4 oil showed maximum (1.58 mgKOH/g) and sample 6 showed minimum (1.38 mg KOH/g) acid values. Highest iodine values were observed in sample 8 (68.13 g/I2/100g) and lowest in sample 4 (56.38 g/I2/100g). Peroxide value was found to range from 2.18 meq O2/kg to 2.67 meq O2/kg, while saponin value was highest in sample 6 (130.3 mg KOH/g) and lowest in sample 8 (122.4 mg KOH/g). All the oil samples were found to contain cholesterol which ranged from 1.21±0.04 mg/dl (sample 1) to 4.58±0.01 mg/dl (sample 4), while the vitamin A content ranged from 674.80±10.26 IU/g (sample 2) to 877.97±20.52 IU/g (sample 8). Findings from this research showed that the researched oils meet the acceptable physicochemical standard. However, the cholesterol levels were against the inscriptions of cholesterol free on the labels.