Vitamin E is a group of compounds that include tocopherols and tocotrienols. The structure of each compound in this family include a chromane double ring with a hydroxyl group and a hydrophobic side chain. The chromane double ring with the hydroxyl group can donate an H+ ion to reduce free radicals (antioxidant properties) and the hydrophobic chain allows to pass through phospholipid membranes. Vitamin E is present in a variety of foods including wheat. Lachman et. al was able to assess the Vitamin E content in color-grained wheat, tritordeum, and barley.
In their analysis, Lachman et. al obtained their samples from Agricultural Research Institute Kroměříž, Ltd., Czech Republic. Their samples were harvested in 2014 and 2015. The samples were prepared using a modification to a method presented in Sánchez-Machado, López-Cervantes, and Ríos Vázquez (2006). Steps in the sample preparation included, but not limited to, homogenization, rapid cooling, and evaporation steps. After sample preparation, the samples were analyzed using HPLC with fluorescence detection. The analytical conditions included using a Develosil RPAQUEOUS, 5 µm (4.5 mm x 250 mm) as the analytical column, and a mobile phase comprising of H2O and methanol at 3 to 97 ratio (v:v).[1][2]
Analysis of Vitamin E in the tested samples revealed some evidence of seasonal effects in addition to genomic differences. It was revealed that: (1) there was higher amounts of Vitamin E in the spring
References:
1. Jaromír Lachman, Alena Hejtmánková, Matyáš Orsák, Marek Popov, Petr Martinek, Tocotrienols and tocopherols in colored-grain wheat, tritordeum and barley, Food Chemistry, Volume 240, 2018, Pages 725-735, ISSN 0308-8146, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2017.07.123.
2. D.I. Sánchez-Machado, J. López-Cervantes, N.J. Ríos Vázquez, High-performance liquid chromatography method to measure α- and γ-tocopherol in leaves, flowers and fresh beans from Moringa