A comparative evaluation of several antioxidants in edible fats

Summary Thirteen compounds have been intercompared with respect to their antioxidant activity in concentrations of 0.01, 0.05, and 0.10% in edible cottonseed oil, the same oil hydrogenated to shortening consistency, and in lard which is essentially free of naturally occurring antioxidants. None of the compounds exhibited significant antioxidant activity in the cottonseed oils, when use in a concentration of 0.01%, but they were effective in stabilizing lard under these conditions. Propyl gallate was the most effective of the compounds tested for the vegetable fats. Examination of the data for lard indicates that the comparison of antioxidants in this and other substrates essentially devoid of natural inhibitors may yield more realistic results when compared at a peroxide level of 100 milliequivalents per kilogram of substrate.