Determination of trans fatty acid content and fatty acid profile of commonly consumed snack foods in selected parts of the Colombo MOH area using the validated AOAC modified method

Determination of trans fatty acid content and fatty acid profile of commonly consumed snack foods in selected parts of the Colombo MOH area using the validated AOAC modified method | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Determination of trans fatty acid content and fatty acid profile of commonly consumed snack foods in selected parts of the Colombo MOH area using the validated AOAC modified method Thusitha Priyamadhawa, Suraji Senanayake, Mithum Tharaka Silva This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8981144/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Revision Version 1 posted 10 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Accurate quantification of trans fatty acids (TFAs) in food is critical for regulatory compliance and public health protection. This study aimed to develop and validate a modified gas chromatography–flame ionization detection (GC-FID) method based on AOAC 996.06 and 996.01 for the determination of total fat and fatty acid profiles, including TFAs, in complex street food matrices. The method was validated by assessing linearity, limit of detection (LOD), repeatability, and recovery. The validated method showed acceptable linearity (RSD% = 7.62%), low LOD (1.01%), and high recovery (101.14%), confirming its reliability for TFA analysis in food systems. The method was applied to 35 street food samples collected from selected parts of the Colombo MOH area, Sri Lanka, classified into six categories. Total fat content ranged from 12.9% to 24.8%, with wheat flour-based snacks and pulses, nuts and legume-based items having the highest values. Fatty acid profiling revealed saturated fats as the dominant class across most samples. Notably, TFAs were present in all categories, with pulses, nuts, and legumes showing the highest levels (9.7 ± 7.1%), due to repeated frying and degradation of unsaturated oils. The results emphasize the need for regulatory oversight and healthier oil usage in street food preparation. The validated method provides a robust tool for future monitoring and nutritional risk assessment in informal food sectors. Total fatty acids street food validated method trans fat Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Revision Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 13 May, 2026 Reviews received at journal 13 May, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 27 Apr, 2026 Reviews received at journal 19 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 07 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 07 Apr, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 07 Apr, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 26 Feb, 2026 Submission checks completed at journal 26 Feb, 2026 First submitted to journal 26 Feb, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8981144","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":618905598,"identity":"107a9f64-5775-47e6-bcc1-4d168dd3172f","order_by":0,"name":"Thusitha Priyamadhawa","email":"data:image/png;base64,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","orcid":"","institution":"Sri Lanka Standards Institution","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Thusitha","middleName":"","lastName":"Priyamadhawa","suffix":""},{"id":618905599,"identity":"22d635ed-5459-4e1f-8dde-1ac98868373f","order_by":1,"name":"Suraji Senanayake","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Sri Jayewardenepura","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Suraji","middleName":"","lastName":"Senanayake","suffix":""},{"id":618905600,"identity":"b08dc42c-1fce-4c80-b143-f9227179fa34","order_by":2,"name":"Mithum Tharaka Silva","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Sri Lanka Standards Institution","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Mithum","middleName":"Tharaka","lastName":"Silva","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-02-26 19:53:30","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8981144/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8981144/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":106753615,"identity":"9c0a09cd-591d-47b7-976d-7d4ce3b7f067","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-13 07:28:07","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":396896,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"ResearchpaperTransfat.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8981144/v1_covered_a0818e8a-7117-4d24-8f80-0fec8450fa52.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Determination of trans fatty acid content and fatty acid profile of commonly consumed snack foods in selected parts of the Colombo MOH area using the validated AOAC modified method","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"food-analytical-methods","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"Learn more about [Food Analytical Methods](https://www.springer.com/journal/12161)","snPcode":"12161","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/12161/3","title":"Food Analytical Methods","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"Total fatty acids, street food, validated method, trans fat","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8981144/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8981144/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eAccurate quantification of trans fatty acids (TFAs) in food is critical for regulatory compliance and public health protection. This study aimed to develop and validate a modified gas chromatography\u0026ndash;flame ionization detection (GC-FID) method based on AOAC 996.06 and 996.01 for the determination of total fat and fatty acid profiles, including TFAs, in complex street food matrices. The method was validated by assessing linearity, limit of detection (LOD), repeatability, and recovery. The validated method showed acceptable linearity (RSD% = 7.62%), low LOD (1.01%), and high recovery (101.14%), confirming its reliability for TFA analysis in food systems. The method was applied to 35 street food samples collected from selected parts of the Colombo MOH area, Sri Lanka, classified into six categories. Total fat content ranged from 12.9% to 24.8%, with wheat flour-based snacks and pulses, nuts and legume-based items having the highest values. Fatty acid profiling revealed saturated fats as the dominant class across most samples. 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