COMMERCIALIZATION OF NOVEL METAL-PHOSPHATE LUMINESCENT REAGENT FOR MEASURING PEROXIDE VALUE IN EDIBLE FATS & OILS

There are four primary technical objectives of this project. The first is to optimize the peroxide value sensor/excipient composition to perform in a tablet form of the VerraGlo MPL PV sensor material. Since the first MPL peroxide value sensor material was first created in 2017 there have been many changes in composition and manufacturing parameters. These changes influence the coordination of molecular bonds, and have a profound influence on the quantum yield of the MPL sensor. With each change of composition/manufacturing parameter a new standard curve was prepared plotting the luminescence intensity vs AOCS peroxide value by iodometric titration. Standard curves of luminescent emissions from VerraGlo MPL sensor vs. peroxide values of a variety of edible oils (e.g., canola, soybean, sunflower, corn, algae, fish and olive oils) demonstrate r-square values of greater than 0.98. With continued improvements in the MPL sensor's quantum yield, the PV assay has required less and less reagent, to the point the only 3 mg is now required with 0.6 mL of oil. Weighing 3 mg of reagent for each assay is a challenge to commercialization of the technology, and to overcome this challenge a large-scale tableting process will be developed.The second technical objective is to further design the VerraGlo MPL PV sensor assay to optimize performance with solid fats. Fats that are solid at room temperature (e.g., palm oil) make up a significant portion of the edible oil market. As with most analyses, including the iodometric titration for PV, the fat must first be melted. The behavior of the VerraGlo MPL PV sensor at elevated temperatures has been studied extensively prior to and during our SBIR Phase I project. With an increase in temperature, the peroxidase-like reaction of the VerraGlo MPL PV sensor is accelerated due to well established effects of decreasing viscosity and increasing temperature on reaction kinetics.The third technical objective is to conduct shelf-life studies of the MPL PV sensor in tablet form/composition. This important aspect of the commercialization process is primarily an investigation of the packaging process and materials. VerraGlo, LLC has already conducted shelf-life studies of the MPL sensor material which can be stored with no statistically significant change in performance over 12 months. With the implementation of the tableting process with added excipient a new series of shelf-life studies will be conducted to investigate the effect of storage time under a variety of conditions and packaging materials.The fourth technical objective is to obtain AOAC Official Method status for the MPL sensor peroxide value assay. VerraGlo, LLC and its strategic partners will pursue commercialization of the MPL PV sensor via a variety of traditional avenues. To assist with these activities, the MPL PV assay will be evaluated as part of the AOAC Official Methods of Analysis (OMA) program.The OMA program is AOAC International's premier methods program. The AOAC methods approval process includes rigorous, systematic scientific scrutiny to ensure they are highly credible and defensible--and can be used with confidence by industry, regulatory agencies, research organizations, testing laboratories, and academic institutions. The U.S. Code of Federal Regulations recognizes OMA methods, and they are legally defensible in court worldwide. AOAC International brings together government, industry, and academia to establish standard methods of analysis that ensure the safety and integrity of foods and other products that impact public health around the world.