Antioxidant capacities of α-tocopherol, trolox, ascorbic acid, and ascorbyl palmitate in riboflavin photosensitized oil-in-water emulsions

Antioxidant capacities of α-tocopherol, trolox, ascorbic acid, and ascorbyl palmitate at 0.01, 0.1, and 1.0 mM in riboflavin photosensitized oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions were determined using headspace oxygen depletion, lipid hydroperoxide, and headspace volatile analyses. After 32 h visible light irradiation, headspace oxygen in O/W emulsions without adding antioxidants, with 1.0 mM α-tocopherol, trolox, ascorbic acid, and ascorbyl palmitate decreased to 18.50%, 18.85%, 16.01%, 17.92%, and 19.88%, respectively, whereas those samples in the dark were 20.74%. Trolox and ascorbic acid acted as prooxidants while their lipophilic counterparts, α-tocopherol and ascorbyl palmitate, respectively showed antioxidant properties. Similar antioxidative or prooxidative properties of the tested compounds can be observed in the results of lipid hydroperoxides and headspace volatiles. However, the prooxidant and antioxidant properties of the tested compounds were not clearly shown at 0.01 and 0.1 mM concentration. Both the type and concentration of antioxidants influenced the antioxidant capacities in riboflavin photosensitized O/W emulsions.