The influence of the storage conditions on the oxidative stability and antioxidant properties of sunflower and pumpkin oil.

Abstract

In this study it was established the influence of storage conditions on the oxidative stability (expressed as peroxide value) and antioxidant properties (expressed as total antioxidant capacity and total polyphenols content) of sunflower and pumpkin unrefined oil. Also, the physico-chemical properties of these oils were evaluated. For pumpkin oil it was registered the highest antioxidant capacity (4.68 mM Fe 2+ /L) and phenolic amounts (1.42 mM gallic acid/L). In the investigated period (120 days), the oxidation process was more affected by daylight than by temperature. The pumpkin oil was showed the biggest oxidative stability. We explain these results by the retarding of oxidation due to antioxidants compounds present in unrefined pumpkin oil.