Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) oil stability: Study of the effect of natural antioxidants

The chia seed (Salvia hispanica L.) is globally popular and valued for its nutritional and health attributes. Chia oil is mainly composed of triglycerides, in which polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs, linoleic and α-linolenic acids) are found in high amounts. Although it seems evident that such fatty acid composition is favorable from a nutritional point of view, a higher content of linoleic and linolenic acids results in poorer oxidative stability and shorter shelf life of the oil. The aim of this study was to evaluate the combined effects of the storage condition (300 days under fluorescent light - 800 Lux - or in the dark, both at room temperature) with the addition of natural antioxidants (rosemary extract, RE; tocopherol, TOC; ascorbyl palmitate, AP). In the dark, the combined addition of AP and TOC significantly reduced lipid oxidation and improved oil shelf life. Moreover, this combination maintained an acceptable quality of at least up to 300 storage days. Results from this work highlight the influence of illumination condition on chia oil oxidative stability, suggesting that this oil should be stored in containers with light-barrier properties, and probably added to the antioxidants examined in the current study.