Fatty acid modifications and cholesterol oxidation in pork loin during frying at different temperatures

The effect of frying with sunflower oil for 4 min at different temperatures (160, 170, and 180 degrees C) on fatty acids and cholesterol of pork loin meat was studied. Total fat content increased from 5.6% in fresh loin to 7.3, 7.8, and 12.1% at 160, 170, and 180 degrees C, respectively. Interactions with culinary fat gave rise to a significant increase in unsaturated acids/saturated acids and polyunsaturated acids/saturated acids ratios, which could be considered an advantage from a nutritional point of view. Less than 1 ppm (microg/g of sample) of cholesterol oxidation products was detected in fresh loin, whereas fried loin pork contained between 8.58 and 10.89 ppm. 7-Ketocholesterol (5.99 to 8.47 ppm in fried samples) and 7beta-hydroxycholesterol (1.43 to 2.55 ppm in fried samples) were the main cholesterol oxidation products. Cholestanetriol was not detected in any sample, and small quantities of 25-hydroxycholesterol and 5,6alpha-epoxycholesterol were found in the fried sample.