Antioxidant activity of thymol, sabinene hydrate and carvacrol in first pressed canola oil

QUIROGA, P. R.; ASENSIO, C.; OLIVA, L.L.; GAYOL, M.F.; NEPOTE, V.; GROSSO, N.R.

New Orleans

Congreso; IFT11 anual meeting; 2011

Institute of Food Technologists

Essential oils and their components obtained from aromatic plants are receiving special attention because they are natural products with positive effects on human health. Plant foods and derived products are sources of a variety of biologically active compounds. Some of them have antioxidant activity. Natural antioxidants are increasing their use as additive in functional food. The objective of this study was to determine the antioxidant activity of some monoterpenes added to first pressed canola oil. An accelerated oxidation test at 60ºC was carried out in first pressed canola oil. Thymol (T), carvacrol (Ca) and sabinene hydrate (S) were the monoterpenes added to 0.02% w/w in canola oil. Butyl hidroxitoluene (BHT) at 0.02% w/w and control (C) sample without additive in canola oil were also prepared. Peroxide, p-anisidine and conjugated diene values as chemical indicator of lipid oxidation were measured on samples stored for 12 days. Samples of different treatments were removed every 2 days. ANOVA and LSD test were performed for statistical analysis. All chemical indicators increased during storage. Peroxide values at 12 storage days were 34.5, 35.9, 38.8, 41.0 and 42.6 meqO2/kg in BHT, S, T, C and Ca treatments, respectively. In conjugate dienes, lower values were observed in BHT and S treatments. BHT, S and T treatments showed lower p-anisidine values during storage. In this last two parameters, C and Ca exhibited the highest values in all analyzed samples. The results of this study suggest that monoterpenes as thymol and sabinene hydrate had antioxidant activity in first pressed canola oil whereas carvacrol did not show this properties. Monoterpenes as sabinene hydrate and thymol could be used an antioxidant for natural foods without synthetic additives.