Physicochemical profiling and quality evaluation of commercial mustard oils brands in Bangladesh: Indicators of stability and consumer safety

This study evaluated the physicochemical quality and stability of five commercially available mustard oil brands in Bangladesh, including four refined oils (Brand-1,2,3,4) and one traditionally processed Local Ghani oil. Eight quality indicators free fatty acid (FFA) content, acid value (AV), moisture, iodine value (IV), peroxide value (PV), saponification value (SV), refractive index, and viscosity were assessed to characterize hydrolytic stability, oxidative status, and compositional attributes. Significant inter-brand differences (p < 0.05) were observed for all parameters except viscosity. FFA and AV ranged from (0.69-1.40) % and (1.92-2.81) mg KOH/g, respectively, with Local Ghani oil consistently exhibiting the highest values, indicating greater hydrolytic degradation. Refined oils showed lower moisture content (0.06-0.08%) and reduced peroxide values (4.61-5.30) meq O₂/kg compared to Local Ghani oil (5.90 meq O₂/kg), reflecting improved oxidative stability. Iodine values varied from (91.08 to 101.01) g I₂/100 g, with refined oils, particularly Brand-4 and Brand-2, exhibiting higher degrees of unsaturation. Overall, refined mustard oils demonstrated superior physicochemical uniformity and stability, whereas traditionally processed oil showed comparatively poorer quality indicators, underscoring the need for strengthened quality control and evidence-based regulatory oversight to ensure consumer safety.