Stability of active components of cardamom oleoresin in co-crystallized sugar cube during storage

Cardamom oleoresin was co-crystallized to formulate flavoured sugar cubes for table top use in tea. The flavoured sugar cubes were packed in two-layer composite and three-layer metalized laminate packaging materials and evaluated for 5 months at relative humidities of 33%, 63% and 93% and temperatures of 5 °C, 25 °C and 45 °C, respectively. The major active components of cardamom oleoresin viz. 1,8-cineole and α-terpinyl acetate in the co-crystallized sugar cubes was quantified by gas chromatography throughout the storage period. The major active components of cardamom in the oleoresin, freshly prepared flavoured sugar cubes, and in sugar cubes stored under extreme condition of storage at 45 °C under all the relative humidities were identified by GCMS. The rate of degradation of 1,8-cineole was higher than α-terpinyl acetate as seen from the kinetic study and activation energy in both the packaging materials under all conditions of storage.