Characterization of Lipids and Their Oxidation Products in Baked or Fried Breaded Shrimp Products

Baking and frying are two common food preparation methods, but there is limited knowledge about the lipid oxidation events that occur in food products prepared in these ways. Two commercially available breaded shrimp products were examined using gas chromatography, for changes in cholesterol, phytosterols, and fatty acids as a result of baking and deep frying after separation into breading and shrimp components. Additionally, changes in oil quality factors were determined for the cooking oils used to prepare the fried products. Sterol concentrations changed in both shrimp products due to degradation. Oxidation products of cholesterol and fatty acids were found in the shrimp portions of both the baked and fried samples as well as the oils used for frying using gas chromatography in tandem with mass spectroscopy. Phytosterol oxides were detected in the frying oils, but not in the baked or fried shrimp products. The frying oils showed some oxidative losses of phytosterols. This work demonstrated that measurable lipid oxidation occurred, even over the short time periods needed to prepare these products. This may have implications for human health effects.