Interactions between tocopherols, tocotrienols and carotenoids during autoxidation of mixed palm olein and fish oil

Electron spin resonance (ESR) and spin trapping detection of radical formation showed that the oxidative stability of palm olein/fish oil mixtures increased with the amount of palm olein. Mixtures with red palm olein were less stable than were mixtures with yellow palm olein. Addition of ascorbyl palmitate and citric acid gave further reduction of radical formation, whereas no effect was observed by adding lecithins. Storage of palm olein/fish oil mixtures (4:1) at 30 °C confirmed that red palm olein mixtures were less stable than were yellow palm olein mixtures. Ascorbyl palmitate together with citric acid improved the stability in both cases. The concentrations of α-tocopherol and α-tocotrienol decreased during storage, whereas β-, γ-, and δ-tocotrienols were unaffected. Ascorbyl palmitate reduced the losses of α-tocopherol and α-tocotrienol. The rate of loss of carotenoids was independent of the presence of fish oil and, except for an initial fast drop, also of the presence of ascorbyl palmitate.

Research highlights
► Oxidative stabilisation of fish oil by mixing with palm oleins.
► Yellow palm olein prevent oxidation of fish oil better than red palm olein.
► Different stabilities of tocotrienols during storage of palm olein fish oil mixtures.
► Fish oil had no effect on rate of loss of carotenoids in red palm olein.