Storage stability of chia (Salvia hispanica L.) oil incorporated with astaxanthin

Abstract

Ingest of astaxanthin and omega-3 fatty acids is related to several health benefits. Chia oil is one of the principal sources of α-linolenic acid (ALA) belonging to the omega-3 fatty acids. This work evaluated the stability of blends of chia oil and astaxanthin (400 µg/g oil) during storage at 25, 45, and 65°C during 35, 16, and 4 days, respectively. The effect of α-tocopherol addition (100 µg/g oil) was also evaluated. The highest antioxidant activity (2.29 ± 0.11 µmol Trolox/g oil) was observed in oil added with α-tocopherol and astaxanthin. However, the lipid oxidation products of this oil increased approximately twofold compared to the oil added only with astaxanthin at 25°C and 35 days of storage. Blends of chia oil and astaxanthin stored at 25°C showed good stability; ALA content did not change significantly (p >.05) and approximately 74% of astaxanthin was preserved after 35 days of storage compared to the initial content. Practical applications: Nowadays, consumers tend to choose natural products in search of foods with recognized health benefits. The results from this study showed that incorporating astaxanthin into chia oil is a promising strategy to increase the benefits of both compounds. Astaxanthin and chia oil blend can be used in the development of delivery systems for functional food applications.