Natural preservatives help extend frying oil shelf life

Arjuna Naturals Extracts has launched a natural preservative formulation for combating oxidation, thermal degradation, hydrolytic rancidity and extending the frying cycle of vegetable oils.

The new, all-natural preservative formulation is GMO-free, oil-soluble and vegan to help enable a clean label, Arjuna said in a news release.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), where the company is headquartered, has revised its standards to allow for reuse of vegetable oil in frying and cooking applications until the oil reaches a maximum total polar compound (TPC) limit of 25 per cent. Thus any edible oil used for frying application that crosses this maximum limit of TPC will be considered unsafe, Arjuna said. In addition to helping manufacturers meet the new standard, the company’s formulation is designed to help manufacturers use oil for frying a greater quantity of product by slowing down the oxidative degradation due to reuse, thus keeping the oil safe.

Food and foodservice companies typically evaluate peroxide value (PV), which measures oxidative degradation only and hydrolytic rancidity measured by free fatty acids (FFA) both of which fluctuates during frying. This is why TPC is considered an accurate indicator of quality of frying oil.

“Our R&D team developed a natural preservative that can help maintain vegetable oil colour, taste, and functionality even in high temperatures and does not negatively affect the fried product,” said Benny Antony, PhD, and joint managing director for Arjuna.

www.arjunanatural.com