The effect of storage conditions on the oxidative stability of cholesterol in butter was studied by identifing cholesterol oxides by TLC. Experimental variables for storage conditions were packaging(packaged and unpackaged), storage temperature(ambient and refrigerated), light source(dark, fluorescent and ultraviolet), and storage period(2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks). No cholesterol oxides were detected from packaged butter under all storage conditions. When unpackaged butter was stored under darkness at ambient and refrigerated temperatures, cholesterol oxides were not detected even after 6 weeks of storage, but small amounts of 7¥á-and 7¥â-hydroxycholesterols were detected after 8 weeks of storage. When unpackaged butter was stored under ultraviolet light at ambient temperature, 7¥á-hydroxycholesterol, 7¥â-hydroxycholesterol, cholestane-triol, and cholesterol epoxide were detected after 2 weeks of storage, and when fluorescent light was used instead of ultraviolet light, the same species of cholesterol oxides were detected after 6 weeks of storage.
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