Evaluation of the Antioxidant Potential of Fennel Seed Extract as Compared to the Synthetic Antioxidants in Margarine under Accelerated Storage Condition

Abstract

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">The oxidative stability of margarine supplemented with different concentrations of fennel (<em>Foeniculum vulgare</em>) seed extract (FSE) was compared to the synthetic antioxidants; butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) at legal concentrations. The experiment was carried out under accelerated storage conditions for 4 weeks employing peroxide value (PV), p-anisidine value (AV) and TOTOX value at constant time intervals of 7 days. The induction period measuring the stability of the oil was determined by Metrohm Rancimat. The extraction yield from fennel seeds was 12.92% w/w. It was concluded that the antioxidant effeciency of the extract was concentration dependent and by increasing the concentration from 80 to 100 mg kg^-1, the antioxidant activity of the extract was increased. After 4 weeks of storage at 90°C, margarine containing 100 mgkg^-1 FSE showed lower peroxide values, p-anisidine values and TOTOX values and higher induction periods as compared to the synthetic antioxidants, BHA, BHT and the control. These results illustrate that FSE might be used as a potential source of natural antioxidant to retard lipid oxidation in margarine<span style="color: #060b14;">.</span></span>