As the most active entity in the market, consumers are the most crucial driving force for the development of the food industry towards natural substitutes replacing synthetic raw materials. Recently, a study by Pennsylvania State University found that there is a natural antioxidant component in wheat bran that can preserve food for a long time and replace the commonly used artificial antioxidants in the food industry.

Researchers say that consumers are increasingly calling for the removal of synthetic chemicals and are in need of clean food labels. Due to the complexity of synthetic chemical components, it is difficult for consumers to identify them to some extent. In addition, certain synthetic substances also have toxicity, which makes consumers fearful.

Natural anti-corrosion ingredients - AR

This natural antioxidant component is a compound called alkylresorcinol (AR), which is naturally produced by grains such as wheat, rye, and barley to prevent mold, bacteria, or other organisms from reproducing and growing on grain. Based on this natural attribute, researchers are attempting to explore whether this component can preserve food in the same way from a chemical perspective.

Taking Omega-3 fatty acids as an example, they are a natural functional ingredient widely used in various foods. As an essential fatty acid, they can have anti-inflammatory, anti thrombotic, vasodilatory, lipid-lowering, and hypoglycemic effects on the human body, especially for the brain and visual development of infants and young children. However, healthy oil products rich in Omega-3 fatty acids are prone to oxidation and deterioration, which affects the shelf life of the products.

This is because Omega-3 fatty acids are mostly derived from marine animals and plants, and when they reach oxidation conditions, they will decompose, producing an unpleasant fishy smell that affects the appearance and quality of the product. In many cases, consumers will discard these spoiled products directly, and naturally will not pay for the products again, which causes great waste and economic losses.

Antioxidants, as a food additive, can reduce the oxidation rate of food, prevent food spoilage, and thus extend the shelf life of food. The commonly used artificial antioxidants include butylhydroxyanisole (BHA), dibutylhydroxytoluene (BHT), propyl gallate (PG), tert butylhydroquinone (TBHQ), etc. Although these antioxidants have played an indispensable role in the development of the food industry, as today's consumers gradually move towards natural, pure, and additive free directions, the food industry is also urgently seeking natural sources of antioxidants with the same efficacy as artificially synthesized antioxidants.

Anticorrosion and anti-cancer, economic and environmental benefits

In addition to its antioxidant properties, a study published in the European Journal of Food Research and Technology suggests that alkylresorcinol is also beneficial for human health as it can help prevent cancer and is an ideal natural additive. Alkyl resorcinol comes from the bran of cereal plants. In the food industry, the resulting bran is often directly discarded or used as animal feed, resulting in a significant waste of available resources. This not only pollutes the environment, but also has poor economic benefits.

It is understood that the research team has developed a technology for extracting and purifying active components of alkylresorcinol from rye bran, and studied its storage in partially mixed emulsions rich in 6-3, such as vinegar and oil. The reason why researchers chose to study alkyl resorcinol in emulsions is because many people are exposed to sand? Oil is used as an emulsion in the sauce.

Researchers have found that alkylresorcinol does indeed have an antioxidant effect in emulsions, as it can prevent the rapid deterioration of 0-3 fatty acids, while emulsions without antioxidants rapidly deteriorate. Subsequently, researchers compared alkyl resorcinol with commonly used antioxidants in the food industry, natural antioxidant tocopherol, and synthetic antioxidant BHT. The results showed that the antioxidant effect of alkyl resorcinol was not as effective as the two.

Although the antioxidant effect of alkyl resorcinol obtained from this study is not as effective as other antioxidants, the researchers pointed out that the purity of the alkyl resorcinol extract used in the study is not high, which may have led to unsatisfactory effects. In addition, researchers also investigated mixtures of alkyl resorcinol with different molecular structures, and in the future, will further reveal whether different types of alkyl resorcinol will truly be more effective than traditional antioxidants.

New Selection of Antioxidant Ingredients

From the first generation of antioxidants represented by vitamins to the second generation of antioxidants β One carotene, coenzyme Q10, and then to third-generation anthocyanins, grape seeds, lycopene, tea polyphenols, etc., until the popular astaxanthin is considered as the fourth generation natural antioxidant, the journey of combating oxidation has been constantly explored and developed. Alkyl resorcinol, as an antioxidant with great potential for application, is expected to provide more choices for the food industry and bring more economic value to enterprises and society.