This International Standard specifies a method for the iodometric determination of the peroxide value of
animal and vegetable fats and oils with a visual endpoint detection. The peroxide value is a measure of the
amount of oxygen chemically bound to an oil or fat as peroxides, particularly hydroperoxides.
The method is applicable to all animal and vegetable fats and oils, fatty acids and their mixtures with peroxide
values from 0 meq to 30 meq (milliequivalents) of active oxygen per kilogram. It is also applicable to
margarines and fat spreads with varying water content. The method is not suitable for milk fats and is not
applicable to lecithins.
It is to be noted that the peroxide value is a dynamic parameter, whose value is dependent upon the history of
the sample. Furthermore, the determination of the peroxide value is a highly empirical procedure and the
value obtained depends on the sample mass. It is stressed that, due to the prescribed sample mass, the
peroxide values obtained can be slightly lower than those obtained with a lower sample mass.
NOTE 1 A preferred method for the iodometric determination of the peroxide value for milk fats is specified in ISO 3976.
NOTE 2 A method for the potentiometric determination of the peroxide value is given in ISO 27107.
BS EN ISO 3960:2008 history
2017BS EN ISO 3960:2017 Animal and vegetable fats and oils. Determination of peroxide value. Iodometric (visual) endpoint determination
2010BS EN ISO 3960:2010 Animal and vegetable fats and oils - Determination of peroxide value - Iodometric (visual) endpoint determination
2009BS EN ISO 3960:2008 Animal and vegetable fats and oils - Determination of peroxide value - Iodometric (visual) endpoint determination
2001BS 684-2.14:2001 Methods of analysis of fats and fatty oils - Other methods - Determination of peroxide value