An Overview on the Use of Extracts from Medicinal and Aromatic Plants to Improve Nutritional Value and Oxidative Stability of Vegetable Oils

Abstract

Oil oxidation is the main factor limiting vegetable oils’ quality during storage, as it leads to the deterioration of oil’s nutritional quality and gives rise to disagreeable flavors. These changes make fat-containing foods less acceptable to consumers. To deal with this problem and to meet consumer demand for natural foods, vegetable oil fabricators and the food industry are looking for alternatives to synthetic antioxidants to protect oils from oxidation. In this context, natural antioxidant compounds extracted from different parts (leaves, roots, flowers, and seeds) of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) could be used as a promising and sustainable solution to protect consumers’ health. The objective of this review was to compile published literature regarding the extraction of bioactive compounds from MAPs as well as different methods of vegetable oils enrichment. In fact, this review uses a multidisciplinary approach and offers an updated overview of the technological, sustainability, chemical and safety aspects related to the protection of oils.

Influence of Extraction Techniques and Solvents on the Antioxidant and Biological Potential of Different Parts of Scorzonera undulata

“…Pressure and temperature damage the plant cell walls, making bioactive chemicals more easily extracted. Temperature, frequency, duration, type, and volume of solvents, moisture content, and particle size of plant material all have an important impact on the extraction of bioactive compounds [12,13].…”

Health Benefits, Antioxidant Activity, and Sensory Attributes of Selected Cold-Pressed Oils

“…On the other hand, the fatty acid profile of oil can affect its vulnerability to oxidation and deterioration reactions. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) such as linoleic acid (C18:2) and linolenic acid (C18:3) are much more prone to oxidation than monounsaturated (MUFA) oleic acid (C18:1) and saturated (SFA) stearic acid (C18:0) [ 3 , 21 , 22 , 23 ].…”

The Oxidative Stability of Chia Seed Oil Enriched with Oregano (Origanum vulgare L.) and Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) Extracts

“…Synthetic antioxidants such as butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), and tertbutylhydroquinone (TBHQ) have health risks [10,12]. Terefore, strong antioxidants with fewer side efects are necessary in the food industry [11].…”

“…Medicinal plants are rich sources of natural antioxidants. Several studies reported the enrichment of oils with antioxidants from medicinal and aromatic plants [10,[12][13][14][15][16][17]. Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) belongs to the Asteraceae family, is one of the most famous and oldest medicinal plants that has been widely used in traditional medicine [18].…”