Several oil palm germplasm accessions are available with NRCOP and considerable variations in fatty acid composition (FAC) of palm oil among these accessions are expected. Evaluation of these germplasm for FAC is an important aspect for selection of palms with superior oil quality. The FAC of oil can be estimated by gas chromatography (GC) where known standard fatty acids or their methyl esters are required. Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectroscopy (GCMS) can determine the fatty acids composition more precisely even without the standards and hence unidentified/unknown fatty acids can be detected by GCMS. In the present study, GCMS method was standardized for analyzing the FAC of palm oil samples. Ten random samples of palm oil from African germplasm were used for the present study in a SHIMADZU GC 17A Ver.3, with MS QP5050A. BPX-70 capillary column having 60m length, 0.25mm ID, and 0.25 μm thickness was used for the study. With several experimental trials, the GC parameters were standardized as: 230°C injection port temp., 215 Kpa column inlet pressure, 1.2 ml/min column flow, 29.7 cm/sec linear velocity, 55 split ratio, 76 ml/min total flow and 180°C oven temperature. Carrier gas used was 99.999% pure helium. For Mass Spectroscopy, interface temperature was set at 250°C and scanning method of acquisition, ranging from 50 to 500, for mass/charge (m/z) was optimized. Spectrum data was collected at 0.5 sec. interval. Solvent cut time was set at 4 min and 25 min retention time sufficient for separating all the fatty acid of palm oil. Mesocarp from fully ripen fruits were derivatized to methyl ester using 0.5 N Sodium Methoxide with BF3 as catalyst and extracted with n-Hexane. The average FAC of 10 palm oil samples were recorded as 0.55% C14:0, 53.02% C16:0, 4.07% C18:0, 38.77% C18:1, 3.59% C18:2. The results are in agreement with the previously reported palm oil composition.
