Food Chemistry and Fish in Nutrition ( 2+1)

12.1.7.Antioxidants

Antioxidants

 

Cotrol of undesirable oxidation reactions in food is usually achieved by achieved by employing processing and packaging techniques that exclude oxygen or involve the addition of appropriate chemical agents called antioxidants.

 

Ascorbic acid is employed to prevent enzymic browning of the cut surfaces of fruits and vegetables. Here it acts as a reducing agentby transferring hydrogen atoms back to quinines that are formed by enzymatic oxidation of phenolic compounds. In closed systems ascorbic acid readily react with oxygen and serve as oxygen scavenger.

 

Sulfites are readily oxidized oxidized in food systems to sulfonates and sulfate and function as effective antioxidants in foods such as dried fruits. A number of synthetic compounds are used as anti oxidants. E.g Butylated hydroxyl anisole(BHA), Butylated hydroxyl toluene(BHT), propyl gallate(PG)etc.