Evaluation of the synergistic effects of antioxidant activity on mixtures of the essential oil from Apium graveolens L., Thymus vulgaris L. and Coriandrum sativum L. using simplex-lattice design

Abstract

Essential oils (EOs) are known for their antioxidant properties, and are widely employed in the food industry as preservatives. They can be used as condiments or as preservatives to achieve certain organoleptic effects for consumers. The aim of this research was to evaluate antioxidant activity in mixtures of three EOs: <i>Apium graveolens</i> L.<i>, Thymus vulgaris</i> L. and <i>Coriandrum sativum</i> L., using the Simplex Lattice Mixture Design. Ultimately, a linear model was used, as it best adjusted to the experimental behavior, and it allowed the prediction of EOs mixtures antioxidant activity, determined by FRAP and ABTS techniques. The mixture of the three EOs that showed the best antioxidant activity and also had the highest synergistic effect, was composed of 66.7% of <i>T. vulgaris</i>, 16.7% of <i>C. sativum</i> and 16.7% of <i>A. graveolens</i>. The greatest contribution to the potentiation of antioxidant activity was shown by <i>T. vulgaris</i> followed by <i>A. graveolens</i> and then <i>C. sativum</i>.