Peroxide Value

Method Description

This method determines peroxide value as a measure of primary oxidation in fats and oils. It reflects the degree of oxidative rancidity but does not indicate oxidative stability. Peroxide value is determined by measuring the amount of iodine liberated from potassium iodide under controlled conditions. The liberated iodine is quantified and expressed as milliequivalents of peroxide oxygen per kilogram of fat (meq/kg). A minimum of 1 g of extracted fat is required for analysis; therefore, samples should contain at least ~3% fat. Up to 100 g of sample may be required depending on fat content. For low-fat products, hexanal analysis may be more appropriate for assessing oxidation.