scope:

This International Standard specifies methods of preparing the methyl esters of fatty acids. It includes methods for preparing fatty acid methyl esters from animal and vegetable fats and oils, fatty acids and soaps. To cover different requirements four methylation methods are specified, namely: - a 'rapid' transmethylation procedure under alkaline conditions (see clause 4.2); - a 'general' transmethylation/methylation procedure under sequential alkaline and acid conditions (see clause 4.3); - a BF3 transmethylation procedure (see clause 4.4); and - an alternative procedure using acid-catalysed transmethylation of glycerides (see clause 4.5) Methyl esters so produced are used in various analytical procedures requiring such derivatives, for example gas liquid chromatography (GC), thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and infrared spectrometry (IR).