Collaborative study of a qualitative TLC-method for detection of antioxidants (BHA, BHT, gallates and NDGA) in food

A method for the qualitative detection of antioxidants butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), the gallates and nordihydroguajaretic acid (NDGA) in bakery products and fat has been tested in a collaborative study. The method is similar to a IUPAC-method, an EEC-proposed method, and an official French method. After extraction, the compounds are detected by TLC. Being a qualitative method the probability of obtaining correct results is a measure of the goodness of the method, and the study examines the influence on the probability of the following 3 factors: type of antioxidant, type of food, and concentration of antioxidant. From the study is was concluded that the method worked quite well for BHA, with a detection limit about 15 mg/kg, whereas it worked badly for BHT, the detection limit being higher than 30 mg/kg. For the gallates and NDGA the detection limit was 30 mg/kg. Maize oil disturbed the readings on the TLC-plate, and cakes give more correct results than oil/fat.