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Thermal stability and kinetic parameters of commercial edible oils were investigated by non-isothermal thermogravimetry/derivative thermogravimetry (TG/DTG). Kinetic parameters were calculated by integral and approximation methods. Results obtained indicated that these parameters were dependent on composition of fatty acids, being influenced by the presence of natural and artificial antioxidants. According to the thermogravimetric curves, the following thermal stability sequence was suggested: corn . sunflower . soybean . rice . soybean 1 olive . sunflower 1 olive . canola . olive; while the activation energy indicated the following stability order: sunflower . corn . soybean . rice . soybean 1 olive . canola . sunflower 1 olive . olive.

Honey is the world’s third most adulterated food. The addition of cane sugar or corn syrup and the mislabelling of geographic origin are common fraudulent practices in honey markets. This study examined 100 honey samples from Australia (mainland and Tasmania) along with 18 other countries covering Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and Oceania. Carbon isotopic analyses of honey and protein showed that 27% of commercial honey samples tested were of questionable authenticity. The remaining 69 authentic samples were subject to trace element analysis for geographic determination. One-way ANOVA analysis showed a statistical difference (p < 0.05) in trace element concentrations of honey from Australian regions and different continents. Principal component analysis (PCA) and canonical discriminant analysis (CDA) coupled with C5.0 classification modelling of honey carbon isotopes and trace element concentrations showed distinct clusters according to their geographic origin. The C5.0 model revealed trace elements Sr, P, Mn and K can be used to differentiate honey according to its geographic origin. The findings show the common and prevalent issues of honey authenticity and the mislabelling of its geographic origin can be identified using a combination of stable carbon isotopes and trace element concentrations.

-Recently, thermoanalytic methods have frequently been used in the characterization of oils and fats. In this work, thermoanalytic and kinetic parameters of sunflower oils, with and without antioxidants, were evaluated using thermogravimetry / derivative thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry. The thermogravimetric profiles for the sunflower oils had similar characteristics, showing a level stretch indicative of stability up to about 200 o C. Thermal decomposition of these oils occurred in three stages, related to the decomposition of polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and saturated fatty acids, respectively. DSC curves show two events that characterize the polymerization and decomposition of triglycerides. The heat capacities of the sunflower oils, obtained by DSC, showed a good correlation and were dependent on the composition of fatty acids. The kinetic parameters, obtained by non isothermal thermogravimetry by the Coats and Redfern, Madhusudanan, Horowitz and Metzger and Van Krevelen methods, were dependent on the antioxidant used. Increasing the frying time produced a decrease in the onset of thermal decomposition temperature in the sunflower oils analyzed.