Stabilities of tocopherols and phenolic compounds in virgin olive oil during thermal oxidation

The effects of thermal oxidation at 60 °C on tocopherols (α, β, γ) and phenolic compounds (hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol) of olive oil were studied. Tocopherols were determined by HPLC and phenolic compounds by HPLC and GC-MS. Peroxide value of olive oil increased with treatment time until it reached to 56.6 meq/kg. α-Tocopherol, β-tocopherol and γ-tocopherol contents of olive oil decreased with treatment time. α-Tocopherol in olive oil was decomposed after 63 days of treatment. β-Tocopherol in olive oil was depleted after 33 days of treatment. The reduction in γ-tocopherol of olive oil was 75% after 63 days of treatment. The degradation of hydroxytyrosol in olive oil was 91% after 63 days of treatment. Tyrosol was more stable than hydroxytyrosol in olive oil. Inverse correlations of peroxide value with hydroxytyrosol, α-Tocopherol, β-tocopherol and γ-tocopherol were observed.