Lipid oxidation kinetics and antioxidant efficiency in foods using isothermal calorimetry

Background

Oxidative stability and antioxidant properties significantly impact the quality, shelf-life, and nutritional value of food. However, current methods for studying lipid oxidation and antioxidants face limitations including a lack of real-time monitoring, difficulties in complex food matrix assessment, limited sensitivity, and mechanistic insights. Invasive sample preparation and reliance on model systems further compound these challenges. Overcoming these limitations is essential for advancing food preservation and product development strategies.

Scope and approach

This review discusses the use of isothermal calorimetry (IC) in food science, particularly for studying lipid oxidation and antioxidant properties. It explains how IC heat flow data can provide valuable kinetic information, revealing the mechanisms of antioxidant action. Moreover, the review evaluates the advantages and limitations of IC in food science, providing insights into its potential for future research and applications.

Key findings and conclusions

IC enables real-time monitoring of lipid oxidation and antioxidant activity, offering valuable insights into their behavior in the presence of food-based oxidizable substrates. By measuring heat flow over time and applying appropriate data analysis, IC can generate key kinetic parameters that describe the rates of oxidation and the rate constants of both oxidation and inhibition reactions. Additionally, kinetic modeling allows for the assessment of antioxidant efficiency (A.E.) and oxidizability index (O.I.), which are especially useful for complex food matrices such as emulsions, encapsulated powders, and natural extracts. While IC provides direct measurement, high sensitivity, and long-term thermal stability, challenges include the non-specificity of heat flow and the requirement for specialized expertise to set up and interpret experiments accurately.