Stability and Antioxidant Activity of Annatto (Bixa orellana L.) Tocotrienols During Frying and in Fried Tortilla Chips

Abstract

Annatto tocotrienols, containing primarily delta- and gamma-tocotrienols, were added to mid-oleic sunflower oil used for frying tortilla chips. The tocotrienols were absorbed by the chips along with the oil. They slowed the degradation of α tocopherol during frying, and reduced levels of painty and rancid flavor scores as well as headspace hexanal in chips that were stored for 3 wk at elevated temperatures. The results indicated that fried snack foods such as tortilla chips may be a suitable and convenient vehicle for enriching tocotrienols in the diet, and that tocotrienols may also enhance the shelf-life of fried foods.

Development of vitamin E‐enriched functional foods: stability of tocotrienols in food systems

“…used a 2% palm tocotrienol‐rich fraction system that included alpha‐, beta‐, gamma‐ and delta‐forms, whereas this study used a delta (up to 92%) and gamma (up to 16%) blend. In an another study, addition of annatto extracted δ‐tocotrienol to the frying oil did not show any degradation and prevented the degradation of inherent α‐tocopherol (Winkler‐Moser et al ., ). This suggests that the tocotrienol stability is strongly influenced by storage conditions, concentration and formula/blend.…”