Assessment of the Antioxidant Effects ofMoringa oleiferaLam. Extracts in Fish Oil during Storage

Abstract

This study assessed the antioxidant activity of Moringa oleifera Lam. extracts on the oxidative stability of fish oil subjected to conditions of accelerate storage (16 days at 60C) compared with synthetic antioxidants such as tertiary butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). Fish oil samples were added with leaves, flowers and seed pod extracts and evaluated for peroxide, hydroperoxides, anisidine and conjugated diene values. Changes in trans-fatty acid and aldehyde content were also assessed. The addition of Moringa extracts delayed the oxidation of fish oil; in particular, extracts of leaves showed a higher antioxidant activity when compared with TBHQ and BHT, considering peroxide and hydroperoxide levels. To control the formation of secondary oxidation compounds, synthetic antioxidants were most effective; however, leaf extract showed the highest protective effects of polyunsaturated fatty content in fish oil. Results indicate that the extract of M. oleifera leaves is an effective antioxidant to prevent oxidation in fish oil. Practical Applications Antioxidants are important ingredients in food processing to retard, reduce or prevent oxidative deterioration. Synthetic antioxidants are widely used in the food industry; however, their utilization has been questioned because of toxicity. Therefore, there is a growing interest in the use of natural antioxidants to reduce or replace the synthetic antioxidants in edible oils. Moringa oleifera L. is a botanical specie that is well known for its rich compounds with high antioxidant activity; in particular, its leaf extract can be used to replace synthetic antioxidants used in fish oil.