Role Of Antioxidants In Food

Natural Protection against Food Oxidation

food

Currently, Oxidation and rancidity are the biggest problems faced by the food industry.The major food quality issues influenced due to Oxidation and rancidity are nutritional quality, toxicity, flavour, texture and colour. Antioxidants significantly extend the shelf-life of foods containing oxidizable lipids such as vegetable oils, animal fats, flavourings, spices, nuts, processed meats and snack products. It is important to note that oxidation and the need for antioxidants is not limited to high-fat foods, but includes cereals and other items that contain only small amounts of lipids.

Currently consumers and manufacturers are focused in replacing the use of synthetic by natural antioxidants.

What are antioxidants ?

Antioxidants play an important role in overall health. They are natural compounds found in some foods that help neutralize free radicals in our bodies. Free radicals are substances that occur naturally in our bodies but attack the fats, protein and the DNA in our cells, which can cause different types of diseases and accelerate the aging process.

Role of Antioxidants in Food Protection Antioxidants are used as food additives to preserve food. Antioxidants act as oxygen scavengers as the presence of oxygen in the food helps the bacteria to grow that ultimately harm the food. In the absence of antioxidant food additive oxidation of unsaturated fats takes place rendering to foul smell and discoloration of food. Different kinds of antioxidants foods act in a different ways but the end result is to delay or minimize the process of oxidation in food. Some antioxidants foods additives combine with oxygen to prevent oxidation and other prevent the oxygen from reacting with the food leading to its spoilage.

At present the EU-permitted range of food additives classed as antioxidants for food systems that could be confusing range of choices to the food technician. From this wide array the challenged food technician is expected to make the most effective, economical, and ‘label-friendly’ choice for the application in hand. Although today’s food processing techniques control many of the potential causes of oxidation due to improvements in processing, packaging and storage. In many cases these improvements are still not enough and as a result antioxidants play an increasingly important role in food quality.

Synthetic and Natural Antioxidants

Synthetic antioxidants are chemically synthesized petroleum based antioxidants used primarily to “retard lipid oxidation” in order to preserve and stabilize the refined oils and fats within a food product/food system.

There are various chemical antioxidants such as Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT) and Butylated Hydroxylanisole (BHA), Propyl Gallate (PG) and Tert-Butylhydroquinone (TBHQ).

Natural antioxidants are found in vegetable oils as well as grains. They naturally protect fats and oils from oxidation. Natural antioxidants prevent the blockage of arteries with fatty deposits that prevents the heart attacks. Also these are associated with the prevention of certain types of cancers, arthritis and more conditions of these kinds. Natural antioxidant has various applications as food stabilizers, dietary supplements and natural health products.

Naturall-e Natural Mixed Tocopherol could be a sensible choice as an Antioxidant. Naturall-e Mixed Tocopherols are nature’s antioxidants, found in vegetable oils as well as grains, seeds and nuts. They naturally protect fats and oils from oxidation.

Naturall-e Mixed Tocopherol protects product’s freshness, flavour, colour and appetizing aroma. Guarding against oxidation and rancidity is a constant battle and frequently requires oxidative protection added directly into the product.

Naturall-e Natural Mixed Tocopherol are extensively used to resolve rancidity issue in all type of processed foods. It imparts necessary shelf life into products by preventing deterioration of food caused by oxidation activity.

Naturall-e Natural Mixed Tocopherols natural antioxidants effectively protect food products against oxidative rancidity. As complete line of natural mixed tocopherols isolated from vegetable oils and concentrated to contain naturally occurring d-alpha, d-beta, d-gamma and d-delta tocopherols, Naturall-e Natural Mixed Tocopherols guards against oxidation and extends your product’s shelf life.

Naturall-e Natural Mixed Tocopherol products are a complete line of natural antioxidants isolated from Soy / Sunflower vegetable oils and concentrated to contain naturally occurring d-alpha, d-beta, d-gamma and d-delta tocopherols – commonly known as mixed tocopherols. Naturall-e Natural Mixed Tocopherol guards against oxidation and extends your product’s shelf life naturally.

Safety of Naturall-e Natural Mixed Tocopherol

  • Recognized by the FDA as GRAS for use as a preservative (21 CFR 182.3890).
  • EU approved as an Antioxidant generally permitted for use in foodstuffs.
  • FSSAI approved as an Antioxidant and permitted for use in foodstuffs.
  • Approved for use in foods by regulatory agencies in virtually all countries.
  • US “good manufacturing practices” state that amounts greater than 200 ppm can be added to achieve exceptional stability so long as this does not exceed the amount reasonably required to achieve the product’s intended purpose.

Careful Antioxidant Selection Can Give Long-Term Benefits Careful selection of the correct antioxidant or antioxidant system can result in long-term benefits. There are always several possibilities and the choices which depends on the manufacturer’s own economics and labelling preferences and preferences such as whether to use natural or synthetic antioxidants.