Phosphatidylcholine and dihydrocaffeic acid amide mixture enhanced the thermo-oxidative stability of canola oil

•Phospholipids/caffeic acid amide mixture improved the stability of a frying oil.•Endogenous tocopherols were significantly protected by formulated antioxidant.•Effect of phospholipids on foaming is less important than the TPC of the frying oil.•Discard point based on colour formation should take cognizance of oil’s components. Recently, we reported the synthesis of a series of dihydrocaffeic acid amides and evaluated their performance as antioxidants for frying applications using a model frying. In the present study, the possibility of a synergy between the amide, N-propyl-N-benzyl-3-(3,4 dihydroxyphenyl)propanamide (DCA) and phosphatidylcholine (PC) was explored in a 6-day actual frying operation. As measured by the amount of polar components (TPC), anisidine value (AnV), changes in fatty acid composition, residual tocopherol and hydroxynonenal (HNE), canola oil containing the formulated antioxidant was twice as stable compared to the regular unfortified oil. At the end of the frying period, the amount of HNE detected in regular canola oil and the fortified sample was at 5.7 and 2.5μg/g, respectively. Thus, the mixture containing phosphatidylcholine and dihydrocaffeic acid amide is a promising antioxidant for frying application.