Fundamental Studies on a Method for the Analysis of Natural Waxes in Foods by Gas Chromatography

A method for the systematic determination of natural waxes (paraffin wax, candelilla wax, bees wax, japan wax, rice wax and carnauba wax) in foods by Florisil column chromatography and gas chromatography is described.The waxes were extracted from foods by reflux with benzene and the components of each wax were separated into Fr. I-V on a Florisil column. Hydrocarbons in Fr. I (hydrocarbon-type wax), higher alcohols or fatty acids after saponifying Fr. II (ester-type wax) and fatty acids after saponifying Fr. III (triglyceride-type wax) were determined by gas chromatography.Each wax was identified from the peak pattern and determined by measuring the height of typical peaks in the gas chromatograms. Recoveries of Paraffin wax No. 155 and rice wax added to grapefruit at 500ppm were more than 92.1%.