We have established a program to screen large numbers of wild-type fungi isolated from soil for potential producers of antioxidants and synergists for tocopherol (Toc). An antioxidant and potent Toc synergist was isolated from mycelial mats of Penicillium paraherquei. It was one of the deoxyherqueinone-type phenalenones and has been identified as atrovenetin.Under autoxidation conditions, the induction periods of this compound (0.025%) tested by the active oxygen method were 571 and 171 hr in lard with and without Toc (0.04%), respectively. It was also capable of stabilizing vegetable oils such as soybean, rapeseed and palm oils.

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