Tocopherol and tocotrienol analysis as a tool to discriminate different fat ingredients in bakery products

•Tocopherols and tocotrienols are compounds with a variable qualitative/quantitative content in different fats.•Bakery products contain different vegetable and animal fats.•The tocol profile reflected the tocol composition of the specified fat used as ingredient.•Tocols could be used as a tool to verify the information about fats given in food labelling.•The 68% of the analysed bakery products can be declared in label as a source of vitamin E.

Fats are widely used in the food industry as ingredients in many processed foods, in particular, in bakery products, they cover an important technological and sensorial role. With the introduction of new EU Regulation on Food Information (1169/2011) fats, in particular refined vegetable oils, should be clearly identified. Tocopherols and tocotrienols are eight different compounds with a variable qualitative/quantitative content in different fats. In this work, the content of tocopherols and tocotrienols of 38 commercial bakery products, such as different type of biscuits, croissants and sandwiches loaves, available on the Italian market in 2013-2014, was evaluated. Significant differences were found in the tocol profile of analysed samples. Moreover, the tocol profile reflected the tocol composition of the specified fat used as ingredient, thus giving the possibility to use tocols as a tool to verify the information given in food labelling. Regarding vitamin E activity, expressed as Tocopherol Equivalent (T.E.), the 68% of the analysed bakery products can be declared in label as a source of vitamin E, in particular, all biscuits made with vegetable oils and croissants, while no analysed sandwich loaves provided the recommended allowance.