STABILIZATION OF MARINE OILS WITH FLAVONOIDS

Antioxidant activity of a number of flavonoids in refined-bleached and deodorized (RBD) Seal blubber oil (SBO) and menhaden oil (MHO) was co mpared with that of commercially used antioxidants, namely butylated h ydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and tert-butylhydr oquinone (TBHQ) as well as alpha-tocopherol. The study was carried und er Schaal oven conditions at 65C and progression of oxidation was foll owed by monitoring weight gain, peroxide value (PV) and 2-thiobarbitur ic acid reactive substances (TBARS) value. Among the flavonoids tested in this study, the flavonols, namely myricetin, quercetin and morin e xhibited a stronger antioxidant activity than BHA and BHT and effectiv ely stabilized both SBO and MHO. Myricetin was the most effective flav onoid tested in this study and its effect in reducing lipid oxidation was similar to that of TBHQ.