EFFECT OF VARIOUS CONCENTRATIONS OF TOCOPHEROLS AND TOCOPHEROL MIXTURES ON OXIDATIVE STABILITY OF A SAMPLE OF LARD

A comparison was made of α-, γ-, and δ-tocopherol at various concentrations and a mixture of these tocopherols representing the average tocopherol content of peanut oil on the oxidative stability of lard at 97C. Uptake of oxygen was used to indicate the length of the induction period. The antioxidant effectiveness of the tocopherols was found to increase in the order α, δ, γ. The antioxidant efficiency decreases with increasing concentrations of tocopherols such that addition of any single tocopherol above a concentration of 250 μg/g has little effect on oxidative stability. A mixture equivalent to that of an average peanut oil sample, containing 150 μg/g of α-tocopherol and 250 μg/g of γ-tocopherol and 15 μg/g of δ-tocopherol was found to be no more stable than one containing 250 μg/g of γ-tocopherol alone. © 1968 AOCS Press.