AVALIAÇÃO DA POTENCIAL ATIVIDADE ANTIOXIDANTE DA QUERCETINA NO PROCESSO DE FOTODEGRADAÇÃO DO ÓLEO DE LINHAÇA.

Abstract

The linseed oil, obtained from the flax´s seed (Linum usitatissimum L.) contains high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids as oleic, linoleic and linolenic acid, which makes it susceptible to oxidation. As oxidation is a critical factor inherent to vegetable oils, this study intends to contribute with data from thermal and oxidative stability of linseed oil, with and without the antioxidant quercetin subject photo-oxidation for a period of 15 days. The oxidative process was evaluated by chemical parameters acidity index (AI), peroxide índex (IP) and spectroscopic UV-Vis, IR and 1H NMR. The results showed that the methodology adopted for the photo-oxidation in light box (at room temperature; 115.2 Lux and 15 days) was effective because there was oil degradation. The statistical analyzes confirmed that the greater the exposure time, and this coupled with the presence of light, the more easily occurs the degradation process. Was also evaluated the effect of adding quercetin and TBHQ antioxidant in the oil during photo-oxidation. The results showed that they did not prevent the formation of free fatty acid, peroxides and conjugated dienes, but prevented the formation of secondary oxidation compounds as volatile generating the rancidity, and the polymerization characterized by crosslinking.