Actually, it is highly desirable to develop analytical assays with high quality results, while reducing the amount of time which is used for this finality. In this context, a new, fast and efficient ultrasound-assisted fatty acid methylation method, specially focused to obtain esters with better quality for food analysis, was optimized and validated through the application of response surface methodology, and an optimum esterification time of 11.72 min was achieved, 71% faster than the best method which is commonly used for this purpose. The new methanolysis procedure can be effectively applied to samples with free fatty acid and moisture contents up to 10 and 5% m/v, respectively, without risks of compound oxidation during the process.
ultrasound; fatty acids; esterification; food analysis
