Saponification

Carotenoid evaluation in foods requires the use of saponification (alkaline hydrolysis), which is especially efficient at eliminating colourless contaminating fat material and at destroying chlorophyll if it is present. Saponification (alkaline hydrolysis) is a critical step in the process. Schoefs has conducted a thorough examination of a number of different methods. It also assists in solubilizing significant quantities of many other food molecules such as proteins and carbohydrates that would otherwise cause problems during the extraction and analysis process. In order to avoid hydrolysis of carotenoid esters such as ethyl ester of apo-8′-carotenoic acid (E160f), saponification should be avoided when attempting to decide esterified carotenes like ethyl ester of apo-8′-carotenoic acid (E160f), unless the goal is to measure the free acid. It is customary to carry out the saponification procedure by adding ethanol or methanolic potassium hydroxide to the extraction mixture, resulting in an overall KOH concentration of between 5 and 10 percent in the extraction mixture, which is usually carried out from the existence of an antioxidant like ascorbyl palmitate. When it comes to the saponification process, varying temperature regimes are used depending on the speed with which the analysis must be completed or the necessity for negligible carotenoid degradation. Once the saponification process is completed, it is common practice to immediately partition the liquid into diethyl ether or a combination of diethyl ether and hexane (or petroleum spirit) in order to define the unsaponifiable fraction prior to solvent removal and further cleanup. The residue would then be washed several times with water to remove residual potassium hydroxide. When it comes to extraction, saponification, and working up, it’s critical to keep the creation of artefacts at bay (e.g. multiple cis-isomers and oxidation products).

Saponification

As defined by the American Chemical Society, saponification is defined as a “hydration reaction in which free hydroxide dissolves the ester bonds that link the fatty acids and glycol in a triglyceride, yielding free fatty acids and glycerol,” each of which is soluble in aqueous solutions. Particularly important in this process is the chemical deterioration of lipids that are not readily dissolvable in water. Polymerization occurs in heat-treated lipid residues, which makes them extra hard to eliminate than non heat-treated lipid residues. When it comes to cleaning lipids that are present in processes that involve cell growth and repair computation, like microbial fermentation and cell disruption, saponification is critical to the process.

Saponification Formula

                             (A – B) x N of HCl x 56.1 

 Saponification = ————————————

                                     W

Here, 

• A- mL of H2SO for the blank
• B- mL of HzSO was used for the     sample.
• N- weight of the sample (on a dry basis), in gram
• W-solution of H2SO4  with normality
• And, 56.1 is the potassium hydroxide, which has the same weight as water.

In order to calculate the overall acid content of tall oil (both free and combined), this method is used. (The free acid is only measured by the acid number.) Acids are produced by reaction with fair and balanced elements found in the original tall oil and are primarily esters in nature.

Chemical Reaction of Saponification

The saponification reaction is the reaction between a fat and a chemical salt that results in the formation of glycerol and soap. Saponification is one of a set of reactions known as hydrolysis, which is defined as the collapse of a particle in the existence of a liquid.

fat + chemical salt + water →glycerol + fatty acid salt (soap)

Glycerol and soap are the products of the reaction, whereas fat and chemical salts are the reactants. Fats and synthetic salts are all different, resulting in soap with a variety of chemical and physical characteristics.

Examples 

Some examples of saponification are as follows:

1. Cooking oil and fat fire extinguishers: These fire extinguishers convert burning cooking oil and fat into non-combustible soap, which ultimately extinguishes the fire.
2. Paintings in oil: Metals in oil-based pigments interact with the oil to form a soap, which deteriorates the painting over time and causes it to become discoloured. For this reason, historical portraits must be restored in order to preserve their artistic integrity.
3.  Cleaning of household: Laundry detergent contains sodium-based soaps, which are used for household cleaning. Lithium soaps are used in a variety of cleaning applications, both domestic and industrial.

Conclusion

The word ‘sapo’ is derived from a Latin word that means soap in the context of saponification. Saponification is the term used to refer to the act of making soap in general. Soaps are made up of fatty acid sodium and potassium salts, respectively. Essentially, it is the effect of an ester with water and a base like NaOH or KOH that results in the formation of alcohol and the sodium or potassium salt of the acid. In the case of saponified oils, these are oils which have undertaken the saponification process. Saponified oils are dissolved with sodium hydroxide to make them more palatable. When it comes to the saponification process, varying temperature regimes are used depending on the speed with which the analysis must be completed or the necessity for negligible carotenoid degradation.