Natural antioxidants

Antioxidants have been described as “substance that, when present at low concentrations compared with those of an oxidizable substrate, significantly retards oxidation of that substrate”.

The antioxidants may be classed as natural and synthetic. Many fats and oils, particularly in the unrefined form, are quite stable to oxidative rancidity because they contain natural antioxidants.

It has generally been shown that antioxidants compounds from plants are phenolic in nature and encompass such groups of compounds as tocopherols, carotenoids, phenolic acids, flavonoids and diterpenes. The tocopherols (α, β and γ) are the most important of the natural antioxidants and are widespread in both plant and animal tissues.

α- tocopherols

Natural antioxidants, mostly absorb light in the UV region (100-400 nm), can effectively scavenge free radicals, and chelate transition metals, thus stopping progressive autoxidative damage and production of off-odors and off-tastes in food products.
Natural antioxidants