Effect of natural antioxidants on inhibition of parent and oxygenated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Chinese fried bread youtiao

The effects of three natural antioxidants (rosemary extract, tea polyphenol, and antioxidant of bamboo) on the levels of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and five oxygenated PAHs (OPAHs) in typical Chinese fried food youtiao were investigated, with synthesized antioxidant tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) added to the frying oil for comparison. Soybean and palm oils were chosen as frying oils. The antioxidants were added to the frying oil in concentrations of 60, 120, and 180 mg/kg, and PAH and OPAH analysis was performed using GC-MS. Furthermore, the acid value, peroxide value, and polar components were detected to evaluate the antioxidant effect. Compared to samples without added antioxidants, the addition of TBHQ, rosemary extract, tea polyphenol, and antioxidants of bamboo reduced the total PAH and total OPAH concentrations by up to 30.30%, 23.47%, 11.38%, and 28.85%, respectively, for youtiao fried in soybean oil, and by up to 38.94%, 27.56%, 9.45%, and 39.26%, respectively, for youtiao fried in palm oil. The best inhibition was achieved by antioxidant of bamboo, which also showed good performance in slowing youtiao quality degradation. These results could inform good frying practice to improve the quality of fried food with low PAH and OPAH levels, and aid understanding of the new potential benefits of natural antioxidant extracts.