Abstract

Vitamin E oil has natural or synthetic sources. Vitamin E is the common name for several similar types of chemicals called “tocopherols”. They’re commonly found in corn and other vegetable oil or made synthetically from petroleum. We often eat tocopherols as a dietary supplement, and manufacturers put tocopherols in food and cosmetics.
Eight main types of tocopherol exist, from alpha-tocopherol all the way through gamma-tocopherol. The most relevant vitamin E compound is alpha-tocopherol since it is the most abundant and potent of the group. The main difference between naturally occurring vitamin E and synthetic vitamin E is the presence of stereoisomers. Naturally occurring vitamin E will only contain the D-isomer (i.e. D-alpha-tocopherol). Synthetic vitamin E will typically be a mix of the D- and L–isomers (DL-alpha-tocopherol).
Tocopheryl-acetate is the ester form of tocopherol. Tocopheryl-acetate is more stable towards oxidation and will typically have longer shelf life than tocopherol.

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