Mixed oil formulations enriched in essential fatty acids and reduced ratio of n‐6/n‐3

Abstract

In this work, a mixed oil formulation was developed to obtain a product rich in essential fatty acids and with reduced ratio of linoleic and linolenic fatty acids. The formulations were optimized using techniques of multivariate mixture designs. Three formulations of different compositions were chosen and they were assessed regarding oxidative stability, sensory acceptance, fatty acid composition, phytosterols, and tocopherols. The formulation with improved sensory acceptance was composed of 85% of extra‐virgin olive oil, 3% of linseed oil, and 12% of safflower oil. The new formulation showed the lowest ratio of linoleic and linolenic acids when compared to the extra‐virgin olive oil, higher oxidative stability, and higher levels of phytosterols and tocopherols.Practical applications: The mixed oil formulation developed here possess practical application as a product nutritionally enriched for use as ingredient in several food products. It can also be largely used in industrial scale to enrich food products with high contents of essential fatty acids, phytosterols and tocopherols, helping to obtain final products with a more adequate n‐6/n‐3 fatty acids ratio and promoting health benefits through its consumption.In this study, a mixed oil formulation which contains high levels of essential fatty acids and reduced ratio of n‐6/n‐3 to be used as ingredient in foods is developed. The main parameters related to oxidative stability, chemical composition, and sensory acceptance of the final product are evaluated.