Antioxidants

Vegetable oils contain alpha-tocopherols, which are natural antioxidants that preserve the oil in the plant. While they work very well in the plant, they are not effective enough to protect the extracted oil during storage or in cooking, though blends of tocopherols with ingredients such as ascorbyl palmitate are much more effective.

The antioxidants used in food processing work on the same principle as the natural products, and are selected according to the type of product. For example, butylated hydroxyanisole, or BHA, is effective in animal fats, while gallates are more effective in vegetable oils.

The amount of antioxidant that needs to be added depends on the type of oil that is being protected. BHA is best for foods that are going to be baked or fried. Propyl gallate is ideal to add to a vegetable oil to protect it in storage. However, if this oil is to be used for frying or in a cereal-based snack, BHA would also be added to give the cooked product a good shelf-life without going rancid.

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