STERILIZATION OF OILS 



65 



because the distance from the source of ultra violet light is less. 

 While a definite increase in acidity is noticeable in periods ex- 

 tending over four hours, the increase in acidity is not noticeable 

 in the short time of two to three minutes, so that the oil after 

 sterilization by ultra violet rays, aside from a slight bleaching, 

 may be said to be unaltered from a chemical and physical stand- 

 point. 



z 3 4 



TIME OF EXPOSURE iMOURS] 



Fig. 4 



SUMMARY 



Certain oils, such as olive, cotton seed and almond oils, can be 

 effectively sterilized by means of relatively short exposure to 

 ultra violet rays. The abiotic power of the ultra violet rays is 

 not restricted to vegetative bacterial cell alone but extends to 

 the spores as well as to certain molds such as Penicillium, Asper- 

 gillus and Mucor. Lipolytic enzymes in oil are sensitive to, and 

 their action is inhibited by, exposure to ultra violet rays. Ex- 



