A kinetic study of oxidation development in sunflower oil under microwave heating: Effect of natural antioxidants

The antioxidative effects of carnosic acid and sesamol on sunflower oil under temperature-controlled microwave heating were investigated as a function of time and temperature. The concentration of conjugated diene hydroperoxide and p-anisidine value were determined spectrophotometrically, as measures of oxidation, during microwave heating of sunflower oil with or without added antioxidants at 40 °C, 60 °C and 80 °C. The kinetics of hydroperoxide formation was examined on the basis of previously proposed mechanisms and found to be of the half-order with respect to the concentration of conjugated diene hydroperoxide. The amounts of added antioxidants remaining in sunflower oil after different microwave heating periods at different temperatures were determined by HPLC-DAD. The results were interpreted in terms of antioxidative effects of carnosic acid and sesamol. Carnosic acid was found to be a more effective antioxidant than sesamol for sunflower oil.