Antioxidants are often added to fat-containing foods in order to retard the development of rancidity due to oxidation. Natural anti-oxidants include flavonoids, polyphenols, ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and tocopherols (vitamin E). Synthetic antioxidants include butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), propyl 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoate also known as propyl gallate and ethoxyquin. The natural antioxidants tend to be short-lived, so synthetic antioxidants are used when a longer shelf-life is preferred. The effectiveness of water-soluble antioxidants is limited in preventing direct oxidation within fats, but is valuable in intercepting free-radicals that travel through the watery parts of foods. A combination of water-soluble and fat-soluble antioxidants is ideal, usually in the ratio of fat to water.
In addition, rancidification can be decreased, but not completely eliminated, by storing fats and oils in a cool, dark place with little exposure to oxygen or free-radicals, since heat and light accelerate the rate of reaction of fats with oxygen.
See also
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Last updated on Tuesday July 29, 2008 at 14:40:14 PDT (GMT -0700)
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