Effect of TBHQ on quality characteristics of RBD olein during frying

The changes in quality characteristics of refined, bleached and deodorized palm olein (RBD olein) during heating with intermittent frying for 5 hr/day for weight consecutive days in three systems were compared. The systems were (i) RBD olein without antioxidant (system 1); (ii) RBD olein to which 200 ppm of tertiary butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) had been added prior to frying on the first day (system 2), and (iii) RBD olein which had TBHQ added to a level of 200 ppm at the start of each day. The addition of TBHQ reduced the level of polar components and polymers in the oil, decreased the rates of change in iodine value and dielectric constant and decreased the rate of oxidation of C18:2. The reduction in the rates of these undesirable changes was more pronounced when the TBHQ was added to the system on each day of frying than when there was a single addition of TBHQ prior to frying on the first day. The undesirable effect of adding TBHQ was that it darkened the oil.