Chemical Reactions and Stability of Riboflavin in Foods

ABSTRACT: Riboflavin is relatively stable during thermal and nonthermal food processing and storage but is very sensitive to light. It can accept or donate a pair of hydrogen atoms. It can act as a photosensitizer (through either Type I or Type II mechanism) or a prooxidant for food components under light. Photosensitization of riboflavin causes production of reactive oxygen species such as superoxide anion, singlet oxygen, hydroxy radical, and hydrogen peroxide. Radicals and reactive oxygen species accelerate the decomposition of proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and vitamins, and could cause significant nutrient loss in foods. Carbohydrates are less sensitive to riboflavinphotosensitized oxidation than proteins, lipids, or vitamins. Riboflavin is an excellent photosensitizer for singlet oxygen formation and a superb reactant for singlet oxygen, with the reaction rate of 1.01 ± 10¹⁰/M/s.