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Tocopherol is an antioxidant that can be thought of as extending the shelf life of foods, protecting them from spoilage such as rancidity and discoloration. Eliminating rancidity means that the food will be palatable for a longer period, hence extending its shelf life. Oxidative rancidity is an irreversible process that can be significantly delayed by the addition of an antioxidant.
It has a characteristic bright yellow color and is fairly lipid soluble due to its long C chain. Also known as vitamin E.
Natural tocopherol exists in nature as a mixture of 4 isomers: α-tocopherol, β-tocopherol, γ-tocopherol, δ-tocopherol.
Vitamin E is an essential vitamin required for the proper function of many organs in the body. helps slow down processes that damage cells.
Types of tocopherols
Alpha-tocopherol is primarily recognized as a source of vitamin E and is available as a natural product (d-alpha-tocopherol) or a synthetic product (dl-alpha-tocopherol). Alpha-tocopherols show some antioxidant activity, but gamma- and delta-tocopherol epimers are considered to be significantly more effective antioxidants.
For this reason, foods that are most suitable for use as antioxidants typically contain gamma and delta tocopherols at least 80% of the total tocopherol concentration. These mixed tocopherol concentrates are valuable ingredients, especially where more effective synthetic antioxidants cannot be used, or where natural source antioxidants are simply preferred.
Production of concentrate mixtures
Mixed tocopherols are obtained by vacuum steam distillation of edible vegetable oils, including soybean oil. Manufacturers indicate that they do not use peanut butter. 90% mixed tocopherol material is obtained from deodorized vegetable oil distillates using a combination of purification and distillation steps.
The stereochemistry is preserved so that the mixed tocopherols are in all respects identical to the various forms of tocopherols found in the naturally occurring material. The product is standardized to final potency and quality by concentration and purification by distillation.
Sources of Vitamin E
Vitamin E is not produced by our body and must be obtained from food.
The main feedstock comes from soybean (approximately 60-100%), rapeseed can make up no more than one third, and minor sources (below 10%) are sunflower, corn and cottonseed.
Vegetable oils are the richest sources of tocopherols. Other sources rich in vitamin E:
- palm oil (high in tocopherol);
- linseed and sesame oil;
- walnuts;
- peanut;
- wheat;
- Fig.
Application in the food industry
Antioxidants are beneficial to health and play an important role in maintaining the quality of foods. In the food industry, E306 is often added to foods as an antioxidant to prevent oxidation reactions, including the antioxidant tocopherol, which is resistant to acids, heat, and alkalis, but can be damaged by oxygen, and the oxidation process can be accelerated if there is light. The types of foods that E306 is often added to are fats and oils, margarine, processed and canned meats, frozen and salted fish, and others.
Antioxidant properties
Tocopherol is less reactive than other radicals, and therefore it does not immediately try to shield the electron from neighboring molecules. It has time to move to the surface of the cell membrane where it can pick up an electron. It becomes alpha-tocopherol again and can return to react with other membrane radicals. It is able to collect and transport electrons, which makes it an antioxidant. All antioxidants work in a way that protects the body’s cells from free radical damage.
Antioxidants, such as vitamin E, act to protect cells from the effects of free radicals, which are potentially damaging by-products of the body’s metabolism.
Free radicals can cause cell damage that contributes to the development of cancer and cardiovascular disease. Research is currently underway to determine whether vitamin E can help prevent or slow down the development of these chronic diseases.
Dosage for man
The use of tocopherol in food should be limited, for adults 10-20 mg, and in childhood – from 0 to 6 months 0,5 mg / kg, more than 1 year 0,3 mg of tocopherol per kg of body weight.
Excess can cause poisoning, characterized by headache, weakness and severe fatigue, and headache is accompanied by visual disturbances.
Numerous foods provide vitamin E to the human body. Nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils are some of the best sources of alpha-tocopherol, and significant amounts are also found in green leafy vegetables and fortified grains. Most vitamin E is found in the form of gamma tocopherol in soy, corn, and other vegetable oils.
Research shows that mixed tocopherols are bioavailable. The use of mixed tocopherols as sources of vitamin E in dietary supplements is not a safety issue at the suggested levels of use.