INFORM May 2026

6 INFORM MAY 2026, VOL. 37, NO. 5

ANALYTICAL DIVISION SPOTLIGHTS The Analytical Division promotes professional interest, communication, and expert competency in the analytical chemistry function of lipid molecules, and establishing rigorous analytical methods that are trusted by the global scientific community. This

field. Congratulations to the 2026 Herbert J. Dutton Awardee, Dr. Fang Wei and the Student Excellence Awardee, Flavia Adais Rocha dos Santos. The Herbert J. Dutton Award recognizes an individual who has made significant contributions to the analysis of fats, oils and related products. The Analytical Division Student Excellence Award recognizes graduate students presenting an outstanding oral or poster presentations within the Analytical technical program at the AOCS Annual Meeting. THE 2026 DUTTON AWARDEE INFORM: WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO PURSUE A CAREER IN ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY, PARTICULARLY WITHIN THE OILS AND FATS INDUSTRY? Wei: My dedication to analytical chemistry, particularly within the oils and fats industry, stems from a passion for exploring the essence of the microscopic world of matter and a sense of mission to translate foundational research into tangible value. Through techniques like mass spectrometry and chromatography, I am committed to unveiling the invisible structure and

not only satisfies my curiosity about the “invisible” but also fundamentally drives the industry’s progress—from the source to the table, providing solid theoretical and technological support for cultivating better oilseed crops and producing healthier oils, ultimately serving the goal of producing and consuming more, better oil. INFORM: CAN YOU DESCRIBE A CHALLENGING ANALYTICAL PROBLEM AND HOW YOU SOLVED IT? Wei: One of my most challenging projects involved deciphering the molecular structure of oxidized lipids in edible oils. The complexity stems from the hundreds to thousands of similar isomers formed during oxidation, which traditional methods like measuring “peroxide value” cannot precisely identify— much like seeing smoke but not the specific chemicals within it. The breakthrough came from revisiting the fundamentals of lipid chemistry and innovating in sample preparation and instrumentation. We developed strategies such as chemical derivatization to “tag” key functional groups, enabling mass spectrometry to sensitively detect and

FANG WEI Professor in the Oil Crops Research Institute (OCRI) at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS).

Joined AOCS: 2024