Glycidyl fatty acid esters
| Glycidyl fatty acid ester (examples) |
|---|
 Glycidyl palmitic acid ester |
 Glycidyl stearic acid ester |
| Simplified structural formulas without stereochemistry . |
Glycidyl fatty acid esters are esters of various fatty acids with glycidol (glycid), an epoxide , as an alcohol component . They are process-related contaminants in food that have a potential to be harmful to health and are therefore undesirable in food - especially for younger population groups.
Occurrence and health role
Glycidyl fatty acid esters can be found in some refined , i.e. purified and processed, vegetable oils and fats. Foods made from refined vegetable fats can therefore contain glycidyl fatty acid esters. Glycidyl fatty acid esters and related substances ( 2-MCPD fatty acid esters and 3-MCPD fatty acid esters ) were z. B. in margarine, baked goods and confectionery, fried products, various snack products as well as infant formula and follow-on formula.
These substances do not occur naturally in fats or vegetable oils. According to the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), it is not yet possible to make any reliable statements about possible harmful effects on glycidyl fatty acid esters . In animal experiments, however, chemically closely related substances ( 3-MCPD fatty acid esters ) caused pathological changes in the kidneys and elsewhere in larger quantities.
Emergence
When processing vegetable oils and fats, 2-MCPD fatty acid esters can be formed alongside 3-MCPD fatty acid esters and glycidyl fatty acid esters at high temperatures:
Individual evidence
- ↑ Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR): Questions and answers on the contamination of food with 3-MCPD, 2-MCPD and glycidyl fatty acid esters . July 7, 2016, accessed July 8, 2016.