Volatile components from trilinolein heated in air

Pure trilinolein and mixtures of trilinolein‐tristearin, trilinolein‐triolein, and trilinolein‐triolein‐tristearin were heated to 192 C in air. Volatiles were collected, separated, and identified by gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry. Major volatiles observed from each heated sample produced compounds unique to the autoxidation‐decomposition of the trilinolein component and included: pentane, acrolein, pentanal, 1‐pentanol, hexanal, 2‐ and/or 3‐hexenal, 2‐heptenal, 2‐octenal, 2,4‐decadienal, and 4,5‐epoxydec‐2‐enal. When samples containing both trilinolein and triolein were heated, volatiles were produced that could be ascribed to each triglyceride. However, heated mixtures containing tristearin produced no observable volatiles that could be related to the oxidized saturated triglyceride. Minor volatiles identified from the heated trilinolein and its mixtures included; aliphatic acids, saturated and unsaturated aldehydes, primary and secondary alcohols, gamma lactones, furans, hydrocarbons, and methyl ketones.