Stabilization of marine oils

Long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are essential compounds for humans and have been shown to have a series of beneficial effects on human health, especially important are eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids. The dietary sour ce of these acids is almost exclusively fish (marine) oil. Food industry wants to increase the content of EPA and DHA in the diet through incorporation of marine oils into processed food. Unfortunately, omega-3 LC-PUFAs are very prone to oxidation, which shortens the shelf life of products enriched with EPA and DHA. One way of preventing oxidation is to add antioxidants to the food. Preferences have been lately given to the application of compounds of natural origin (plant phenolics). However, the knowled ge for selecting the right and optimal natural antioxidant for a given system is lacking. The same antioxidants are reported to act both antioxidatively and prooxidatively depending on the antioxidant concentration, lipid system, and other environmental c onditions. For industrial production of oxidative stable products containing omega-3 fatty acids, it is therefore important to understand the function of both different pro- and antioxidants, and how environmental factors affect oxidation of marine lipids . The aim of the project is to study how selected antioxidants influence the rate and kinetics of lipid oxidation at food related conditions. A special method developed by our laboratories that can measure rate and kinetics of lipid oxidation in less than one hour, compared to days in conventional methods, will be used. Factors that will be closely studied are temperature, concentration of the antioxidants, pH and salt content. In addition, the effect of the antioxidants in relation to the type and concen tration of prooxidants will be studied. The outcome of this study will give food industry better knowledge for selecting the optimal antioxidant for a needed application.