Histopathogical consequences of dietary intake of thermally oxidized Soybean oil

Abstract

Thermal oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids is known to results in significant generation of dietary advanced lipid oxidation end products which are in part cytotoxic and genotoxic compounds. These present study was aimed at investigating the effects of these oxidized products on the histoarchitecture of liver and kidney of wistar albino rats. Soybean oil used to fry bean cake (akara) and sweet potato chips twice daily (150ºC for 30 min) for five consecutive days were assessed for their physico-chemical stability using acid values, peroxide value and saponification value as indicator of level of deterioration. Alteration in the histology of the liver and kidney of rats placed on the oxidized oil diets were determined. Increase in the acid and peroxide values of the oxidized oils compared to the fresh oil confirmed chemical deterioration of the heated cooking oils while gross alterations in the normal architecture of the liver and the kidney revealed the possible health hazards to these vital organs. There is need for culinary activity to be carried out at low temperatures and for short periods to prevent generation of toxic oxidation products which may have adverse health effect.