Conducting Smarter Vegetable Oil Analysis Using NMR and Chemometrics

A recent study highlights how nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy combined with chemometric models offers a rapid, accurate, and comprehensive approach to assessing the nutritional quality, oxidation status, and authenticity of common vegetable oils.

A recent review article explored the current role that nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is playing in analyzing vegetable oils. This study, which was published in Trends in Food Science & Technology, discussed the recent developments in the quality control of vegetable oils and how spectroscopy is being employed to ensure that the highest quality vegetable oil is hitting the market (1). Led by researchers Xiaodong Ma and Xinjie Wang, in conjunction with teams from the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, South China Normal University, and Huazhong Agricultural University, presents a comprehensive assessment of how these tools are improving food safety, nutritional profiling, and authentication of vegetable oils in the global food supply (1).

Vegetable oils are popular with consumers because of their health benefits as well as their versatility. Derived from various sources such as seeds and nuts, vegetable oils can be grouped into various groups based on their dominant fatty acid content (1,2). However, because of the popularity of vegetable oils, more concerns have been raised about their quality and oxidation. With growing consumer demand for transparency and quality in food production, researchers have been developing rapid, accurate, and robust evaluation methods to better assess vegetable oil.

Healthy oil from sunflower, olive, rapeseed oil. Cooking oils in bottle. | Image Credit: © Sebastian Duda - stock.adobe.com

In their study, the researchers classified 11 of the most common vegetable oils into four primary groups: palmitic acid oil (palm oil); high oleic acid oils (camellia oil, olive oil, high oleic sunflower oil); linoleic acid oils (sunflower, corn, sesame, peanut, and rice bran oils); and linolenic acid oils (soybean and rapeseed oils) (1). Each category offers unique nutritional benefits but also presents distinct challenges in terms of maintaining and verifying oil quality (1).

The researchers then went over what analytical techniques have been used to assess oil quality, and where these current techniques are lacking. For example, the research team discusses how mass spectrometry (MS) and traditional chromatographic methods are often time-consuming, sample-intensive, and less accessible for real-time or on-site applications (1).

However, the authors of the study stated that alternative techniques have potential to resolve the limitations of traditional techniques. In their article, the authors focused on NMR spectroscopy.

The major benefit of NMR, the authors argued, is its ability to offer comprehensive, quantitative, and reproducible data about the chemical composition of oils (1). It enables simultaneous analysis of key nutritional parameters, including fatty acids, triglycerides, sterols, squalene, and oxidation products, all within minutes and without the need for complex sample preparation or internal standards (1).

Coupling NMR data with chemometric modeling, including supervised learning and optimization strategies, significantly enhances its analytical power (1). These models can differentiate oil types, detect adulteration, assess oxidative stability, and even trace product origin. The authors also mentioned that low-field (LF) and high-field (HF) NMR systems, when applied with intelligent algorithms, provide a scalable solution for both laboratory and field use (1).

The researchers also noted that ¹H NMR can deliver high-quality insights with minimal sample input and maximum repeatability. Looking ahead, Ma and Wang envision an era where portable NMR instruments integrated with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) will offer real-time monitoring for food producers, regulators, and even consumers (1). These tools will be pivotal not just in vegetable oil analysis but also in broader applications across the functional food and nutraceutical sectors.

The researchers also discuss the emerging alternatives being used in this space. For example, they highlighted how DNA-based methods can offer high-efficiency on-site detection in the future (1).

As a result, the research team with food safety priorities, the review article positions NMR-chemometric strategies as essential to ensuring that vegetable oils meet the highest standards.

References

1. Shi, T.; Dai, T.; Zhang, T.; Ma, X.; Wang, X. NMR Spectroscopy Combined with Chemometrics for Quality Assessment of Common Vegetable Oils: A Review. Trends Food Sci Technol. 2025, 157, 104889. DOI: 10.1016/j.tifs.2025.104889
2. Voon, P. T.; Ng, C. M.; Ng, Y. T.; et al. Health Effects of Various Edible Vegetable Oil: An Umbrella Review. Adv. Nutr. 2024, 15 (9), 100276. DOI: 10.1016/j.advnut.2024.100276