Accurate Measurement of Free Fatty Acids for Food Quality Control
The acid value (AV) is one of the most important quality parameters for edible oils and fats. It is defined as the number of milligrams of potassium hydroxide (KOH) required to neutralize the free fatty acids present in one gram of oil. As oils age or are repeatedly heated during food processing, triglycerides gradually hydrolyze to form free fatty acids, causing the acid value to increase. Monitoring acid value helps food manufacturers evaluate oil freshness, processing conditions, storage stability, and product quality.
Why Measure Acid Value?
Routine acid value testing provides valuable information for quality assurance and process control by helping laboratories:
- Monitor the quality and freshness of edible oils
- Detect hydrolytic degradation during storage or repeated frying
- Verify compliance with internal quality specifications
- Optimize oil replacement schedules
- Ensure consistent product quality and shelf life
Automated Potentiometric Titration
The HIRANUMA COM-A19 Automatic Potentiometric Titrator automatically determines the acid value by titrating the dissolved oil sample with standardized potassium hydroxide solution while continuously monitoring the endpoint with a pH electrode.
Compared with manual indicator titrations, automated potentiometric titration offers:
- Objective endpoint detection
- Improved accuracy and reproducibility
- Elimination of operator-dependent visual errors
- Faster routine analysis
- Automatic calculation, documentation, and data storage
Typical Applications
- Vegetable oils
- Frying oils
- Olive oil
- Canola oil
- Soybean oil
- Corn oil
- Palm oil
- Food manufacturing quality control laboratories
Recommended Instrument Configuration
- HIRANUMA COM-A19 Automatic Potentiometric Titrator
- Automatic burette
- Combination pH electrode
- JM Science application support and operator training
Need Help with Food Oil Analysis?
JM Science provides complete automated titration solutions for acid value, peroxide value, iodine value, and other routine food quality analyses. Our application specialists can recommend the appropriate instrument configuration, analytical method, installation, and operator training for your laboratory.
Contact Info: sales@jmscience.com; Tel: 716-774-8706
