In this case, we would like to suggest that qualitative analysis is one of the most

suitable type of analysis to determine whether the batch of the palm oil is adulterated.
This is because the batch of palm oil might be contaminated by adulterants or
admixing of low quality or low value oil and fats and through qualitative analysis we
could what is this batch of palm oil comprised of.

From our research, dye, for example Sudan IV dye, is one of the most commonly used
adulterant for the palm oil. (Maxwell, 2015) .There are two tests could be carry out to
identify whether the sample is adulterated with dye, by adding concentrated
hydrochloric acid (Food Safety And Standards Authority Of India, 2012) or using
thin layer chromatography (Rebane, Leito, Yurchenko, & Herodes, 2010). By adding
in concentrated hydrochloric acid, the sample should be shake gently and allow it to
stand for 5 minutes. If the sample is adulterated with dye, a layer of colour will
separated on the upper layer of the sample. (Food Safety And Standards Authority Of
India, 2012). Thin layer chromatography (TLC) is used to identify the presence of dye
in the palm oil sample. The palm oil is extracted by ester following by the
saponification of the oil sample. The sample is then separated by using thin layer
chromatography technique and colour spots can be observed on the TLC plate.
Qualitative analysis can be carry out by analysing the chromatograms of sample and
standard. The terms Rf (retardation Factor) and Relative Rf is used to express the
result .Mean of the Rf values were obtained from three triplicate spots of the
experimental samples or standards. If the Relative Rf values of the sample analysed
were less than 1,the absence of the suspected dyes in the sample could be confirmed
(M Masarat Dar, 2012) (Rebane, Leito, Yurchenko, & Herodes, 2010). There are
several advantages to the use of thin layer chromatography for the analysis of dyes
compared with other chromatographic techniques. Firstly, dyes can be easily
visualized on a chromatographic layer by their colour. Often slight differences in
shade are more clearly seen on the layer than in solution and hence are easily
distinguishable. Employment of detection reagents is rarely necessary unless the area
of interest is intermediates of dye which the conjugation needed in their molecular
structure to be coloured in visible light may absent. In the commercial environment,
quality of dye can be different from batch to batch and colour can be coordinated by
using different dyes. Thin chromatographic technique enable the analysis of several
samples against references or certiRed standards on the same layer under the same
conditions in one development run. Thus the analysis time and the cost per sample are
considerably lower compared to liquid chromatography. (Wall, 2000)

In order to maximise their profit, some merchants might adulterate the palm oil with
mineral oil which is cheaper. A mineral oil is colourless, odourless, light mixtures of
higher alkanes from a non-vegetable source. It is hazardous to human body as it
contains high level of carcinogen which can cause cancer. In order to detect the
presence of mineral oil within the palm oil sample, Holdes test could be carry out.
Firstly, 25 ml of the alcoholic KOH solution and 1 ml of the sample palm oil are
added in conical flask. The conical flask is then both on a water bath until the solution
become clear and no greasy droplet formed on the sides of the flask. The flask is then
taken out form the water bath and its contents are transferred to a wide mouthed warm
test tube. 25 ml of boiling distilled water is added along the sides of the test tube. The
tube is shook gently for some time. Presence of mineral oil can be indicated by the
turbidity of the solution, the depth of turbidity depends on the percentage of mineral
oil present. (Dou, Chai, Zhu, & Yang, 2012)

Admixing of rancid palm oil with fresh palm oil is an uprising issue as rancid oil will
damage the quality of the palm oil and might harm the consumers. The rancidity of
the palm oil could be identify qualitatively by using Kries Test. 5 ml of the oil sample
is shook vigorously with 5ml of 0.1% phloroglucinol solution in diethyl ether. 5ml of
concentrated hydrochloric acid is added using the shaking process. Presence of pink
colour indicated incipient rancidity. Quatitative analysis of Kries test could be carry
out to determine the stage of rancidity of the palm oil. (Food Safety and Standards
Authority of India, 2012)
References
Dou, P. M., Chai, Z. L., Zhu, J. l., & Yang, L. (2012). Summarization of
Identifying Methods for Adulterate Edible Vegetable Oil. Acta
Agriculturae Jiangxi.
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. (2012). Manual of Methods
Of Analysis Of Food-Oils and Fats. New Delhi: MINISTRY OF HEALTH
AND FAMILTY WELFARE OF INDIA.
Food Safety And Standards Authority Of India. (2012). Quick Test for Some
Adulterants in Food-Instruction Manual-Part 1. New Delhi: Food
Safety And Standards Authority Of India.
M Masarat Dar, W. I. (2012). Detection of Sudan Dyes in Red Chilli Powder
by Thin Layer Chromatography. Kashmir: Department of Food
Science and Technology, University of Kashmir.
Maxwell, A. (2015, May 14). Seeing Red: Detecting Illegal Sudan Dyes in
Foodstuffs. Retrieved from ThermoFisher Scientific:
http://acceleratingscience.com/food/seeing-red-detecting-illegal-
sudan-dyes-in-foodstuffs/
Rebane, R., Leito, I., Yurchenko, S., & Herodes, K. (2010). A review of
analytical techniques for determination of Sudan IIV. Journal of
Chromatography A.
Wall, P. E. (2000). Thin-Layer (Planar) Chromatography. Dorset: Academic
Press.