Antioxidant - Food Technology
Skip to content
Home » Antioxidant

Antioxidant

Contents

What is an antioxidant

A food antioxidant (oxidation inhibitor, oxygen scavenger) is a functional additive that slows or prevents the oxidation of fats, pigments, and vitamins. Oxidation causes rancidity, color loss, and flavor degradation. Antioxidants work by donating electrons to free radicals, chelating metal catalysts like iron and copper, or reacting with oxygen before it reaches the sensitive food component.

Types of antioxidants used in food industry

  • Ascorbic acid (E300) — vitamin C; water-soluble antioxidant for fruits, juices, cured meats.
  • Tocopherols (E306-309) — vitamin E family; fat-soluble antioxidants for oils, nuts, baked goods.
  • BHA (E320) and BHT (E321) — synthetic phenolic antioxidants for long-shelf-life fats and cereals.
  • Rosemary extract (E392) — natural phenolic antioxidant for meat and oils.
  • Citric acid and EDTA — metal chelators that neutralize pro-oxidant iron and copper.
  • Sulfites (E220-228) — antioxidants and color stabilizers in wine, dried fruit, and syrups.
  • Green tea extract (catechins) — natural antioxidant used in premium oil and meat products.
  • Erythorbic acid (E315) — isomer of ascorbic acid used in cured meats and beverages.

Culinary and technological properties

  • Color preservation — stabilizes red meat pigments, green vegetable chlorophyll, and yellow carotenoids.
  • Aroma protection — prevents rancid off-flavors in fats and nuts.
  • Shelf life extension — oils with tocopherols last 30-60% longer than unprotected equivalents.
  • Solubility split — choose water-soluble (ascorbic acid) for aqueous phases, fat-soluble (tocopherol, BHT) for oils.
  • Typical dosage — 0.01-0.02% BHT/BHA of fat weight; 0.1-0.5% ascorbic acid in fruit products; 100-500 mg/kg tocopherol in oils.
  • Synergy — ascorbic acid + tocopherol combination is more effective than either alone.

Culinary uses and product groups

  • Edible oils and fats — vegetable oils, margarines, and butter for rancidity prevention.
  • Meat and sausages — ascorbic acid and erythorbate in cured meats for color and nitrite efficiency.
  • Fruits and juices — ascorbic acid prevents enzymatic browning in cut fruits and freshly pressed juices.
  • Bakery fats and fillings — tocopherol in shortenings, nut fillings, and desserts with high fat content.
  • Snacks and fried foods — BHA/BHT in potato chips, crackers, and breading fats.
  • Wines and dried fruits — sulfites preserve color, flavor, and microbial stability.
  • Instant mixes and powders — antioxidants protect encapsulated flavors and carotenoids.

Handling and dosing

  1. Phase selection — match antioxidant solubility to the product phase (water or fat).
  2. Storage — most antioxidants degrade in light and air; keep in opaque containers under nitrogen when possible.
  3. Pre-dissolving — for fat-soluble antioxidants, dissolve in a small portion of warm oil (40-50°C) before adding to batch.
  4. Addition point — add BEFORE heat treatment for maximum protection; adding after initial oxidation cannot reverse damage.
  5. Synergist pairing — add citric acid 0.005-0.01% to chelate metals when using phenolic antioxidants.
  6. Regulatory check — verify allowed doses per country — EU, US, and Ukrainian limits differ; confirm labeling requirements.

Common mistakes when working with antioxidants

  • ❌ Adding after oxidation began — antioxidants prevent oxidation but cannot restore oxidized fat or pigments.
  • ❌ Wrong solubility choice — water-soluble ascorbic acid cannot protect oil; fat-soluble tocopherol cannot protect juice.
  • ⚠️ Overdosing synthetic antioxidants — BHA/BHT above 200 mg/kg fat give bitter taste and may violate food regulations.
  • ❌ Skipping metal chelator — trace iron or copper from equipment can overwhelm phenolic antioxidants; always add citric acid or EDTA.
  • ❌ Exposing to light during storage — UV accelerates antioxidant consumption; use opaque or amber packaging.
  • ❌ Ignoring synergy pairs — using tocopherol alone costs more and works less than tocopherol plus ascorbyl palmitate.

FAQ

Which antioxidant is best for cooking oil?

For neutral oils, tocopherol blends (200-400 mg/kg) with 50 mg/kg ascorbyl palmitate as synergist. For fried foods, TBHQ or BHT are more thermally stable.

Are natural antioxidants better than synthetic?

Natural ones (tocopherol, rosemary) fit clean-label trends. Synthetic (BHA, BHT, TBHQ) are cheaper and often more potent. Choice depends on product positioning and regulatory limits.

How to know if antioxidant is needed?

Measure peroxide value (PV) of the fat. If PV rises above 5 meq O₂/kg during normal storage, antioxidant is necessary. Iodine value and Rancimat tests give induction time benchmarks.

More information on antioxidants can be found in the articles below: