STABILIZATION OF BUTTER WITH DEODORIZED ROSEMARY EXTRACT

The antioxidative activity of the ethanolic extract of deodorized rose mary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) in butter was tested. The extract was added at two concentrations, 0.05 and 0.1%, to the cream before churn ing. The samples of isolated fat were stored at 60 degrees C for 38 da ys and their peroxide values (PVs) determined periodically. The relati ve changes in the proton absorption patterns of the butter lipids duri ng storage were monitored by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectros copy. The samples treated with 0.05 and 0.1% extract bad much longer i nduction periods than the control. A significant correlation (r = 0.98 0) was measured between the ratio of aliphatic to olefinic protons (R- ao) and the PVs of the butter fat. The deodorized ethanolic extract wa s also subjected to TLC separation on silica gel plates and UV spectra l analysis. The UV spectrum of the extract had maxima at 286 and 328 n m. Six spots attributed to phenolic compounds were observed on the TLC plate. The extract also exhibited strong antioxidant activity in a be ta-carotene-linoleate model system.