Sterol composition of 19 vegetable oils

Abstract The unsaponifiables from 19 vegetable oils were divided into a sterol and three other fractions by thin‐layer chromatography. All except olive and palm kernel oils gave the sterol fraction in a large quantity. Compositions of the sterol fractions were determined by gas liquid chromatography. Identification of each sterol was carried out by gas liquid chromatography and combined gas chromatograph‐mass spectrometry. Campesterol, stigmasterol and β‐sitosterol were present in all oils, and a minor amount of cholesterol in majority of the oils. Brassicasterol occurrence was widespread but its content was extremely small in oils other than rapeseed oil. Other sterols, presumably δ 7 ‐stigmastenol and δ 5 ‐ and δ 7 ‐avenasterol were detected in most of the oils.