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Effect of Adverse Storage Conditions on Oil Quality and Tocochromanol Content in Yellow‐Seeded Breeding Lines of Brassica napus L.
ABSTRACTThis study evaluated the contents of tocopherols and plastochromanol‐8, as well as the acid values, in oils extracted from yellow‐seeded Brassica napus L. lines stored under adverse post‐harvest conditions. Seeds were stored at temperatures of 25°C and 30°C, with adjusted seed moisture contents of 10.5%, 12.5%, and 15.5%, corresponding to relative humidity levels of 81%, 85%, and 91%, respectively. A statistically significant reduction in total tocopherol content—up to 22% (p < 0.05)—was observed in seeds with the highest moisture content (15.5%) stored at 30°C. In contrast, seeds with 12.5% moisture stored at 25°C exhibited a smaller but still significant decrease of 11%–14% (p < 0.05). The lowest tocopherol degradation (2%–5%) occurred in seeds with 10.5% moisture stored at 25°C. Additionally, degradation rates differed between tocopherol homologues: α‐tocopherol decreased more rapidly than γ‐tocopherol, as evidenced by a significant decline in the α‐T/γ‐T ratio under high‐moisture and high‐temperature conditions. The most pronounced reduction in this ratio was recorded in seeds stored with 15.5% moisture at 30°C. Plastochromanol‐8 was also highly sensitive to storage parameters, exhibiting an even more pronounced reduction than tocopherols under high‐moisture conditions (p < 0.05). A significant increase in acid value was also observed under high temperature and moisture conditions, exceeding the acceptable threshold of 3.0 mg KOH/g in some cases, indicating advanced lipid hydrolysis during storage.