Antioxidant Testing – An Application Overview with Rick Della Porta Sr Scientist at Frito Lay
TLDRDavid Johnson, an antioxidant scientist at Caltech, moderated a webinar on lipid oxidation featuring Rick Della Porta, a leading expert in the analysis of fats and oils from PepsiCo. Della Porta discussed the importance of antioxidants in preventing oil oxidation, particularly in frying oils, and the challenges in translating academic research into commercial applications. He highlighted the use of natural antioxidants like rosemary and ascorbic acid, and the need for standardized testing methods to measure their effectiveness. The webinar also covered various analytical techniques, including HPLC and FTIR, and the importance of considering factors like temperature and oil volume in frying processes. Della Porta emphasized the complexity of antioxidant systems and the need for continuous research and development to improve oil quality and extend product shelf life.
Takeaways
- 👨🔬 **Expertise in Antioxidants**: Rick Della Porta, a leading expert in fats and oils analysis, has been working at PepsiCo for 34 years and has extensive experience in the field of antioxidants.
- 🔬 **Research and Application Gap**: There is a disconnect between academic research on antioxidants and their real-world applications in frying oils, which Rick emphasizes as a significant issue.
- 🍟 **Frying Oils and Antioxidants**: Antioxidants are crucial for maintaining the quality of frying oils, allowing for the use of healthier polyunsaturated oils and extending the oil's lifespan.
- 🌐 **Global Impact**: The use of antioxidants in frying oils has implications for product shelf-life and is a key factor in the global food industry.
- 🧪 **Testing Protocols**: There is no consistent antioxidant testing protocol; different methods are used in academic and real-world settings, which can lead to varied results.
- 📈 **Quality Measurement**: Standard measures like peroxide value and free fatty acid levels provide insights into oil quality, but their interpretation can vary widely between industries.
- 🔎 **Advanced Analysis**: Techniques such as HPLC and rapid oxy are used to analyze oil quality, with the latter offering faster results but being limited to single-sample testing.
- ♻️ **Continuous Frying Systems**: In continuous frying systems, oil reaches an equilibrium state where fresh oil is continuously added, and the focus is on maintaining oil quality and stability.
- 🌡️ **Temperature Effects**: Frying temperatures impact the stability of antioxidants, with some being more thermally stable than others, affecting their effectiveness in frying applications.
- 📚 **Regulatory Considerations**: The use of natural antioxidants in frying oils is subject to regulatory approval, which can vary by country and may require different additives or reformulation.
- ⏱️ **Accelerated Shelf-Life Techniques**: To speed up the process of assessing shelf-life, accelerated techniques are used, such as heating products in ovens to measure their stability over time.
Q & A
What is the main focus of Rick Della Porta's work at PepsiCo?
-Rick Della Porta has been working at PepsiCo for 34 years and is a leading expert in the analysis of fats and oils, particularly frying oils. His work focuses on improving oil quality through antioxidant research, which is beneficial for using healthier polyunsaturated oils and extending the fry life and product shelf-life.
Why is there a disconnect between academic research and real-world applications of antioxidants?
-The disconnect exists because academic research often focuses on data and results using idealized test systems that may not accurately represent real-world conditions. In the real world, the focus is on immediate consumption or product shelf-life, and the application of antioxidants must consider factors like frying methods, temperature, and the specific food items being fried.
What are some of the challenges in translating academic discoveries to commercial needs for antioxidant systems?
-Challenges include relating the activity measurements to the stability of oil during and after frying, standardizing measures for antioxidants, and ensuring that the tests can be conducted quickly and reliably to match the pace of commercial food production.
What are some of the methods used to measure the quality and stability of frying oil?
-Methods include standard measures like peroxide value and free fatty acid levels, HPLC analysis to examine oil components, OSI (Oxygen Stability Index) testing, total polar component analysis, and accelerated shelf-life techniques like oven aging to simulate product shelf-life.
How does the use of natural antioxidants compare to synthetic ones in terms of activity?
-Natural antioxidants generally provide more antioxidant activity in normal situations than synthetic ones. However, the specific choice between natural and synthetic antioxidants depends on factors such as the frying system, temperature, and the desired shelf-life of the final product.
What role does the regulatory side play in the use of antioxidants in the food industry?
-Regulatory considerations are crucial as different countries have different rules and limits on the use of certain antioxidants. Some extracts may require separate approval for use as additives, and there can be limits on how much of a particular antioxidant can be added to a product.
What is the significance of using a standardized method for antioxidant testing?
-A standardized method allows for consistent and repeatable measurements that can be compared across different tests and products. It helps in setting benchmarks and comparing the effectiveness of different antioxidants in real-world applications.
How does the scale of frying operations affect the translation of lab results to real-world applications?
-The scale of frying operations, such as the volume of oil and the turnover rate, can significantly affect the results. Smaller, lab-scale fryers can produce misleading results if they do not accurately replicate the conditions of larger, industrial fryers.
What are some of the factors that need to be considered when selecting an antioxidant for frying oil?
-Factors to consider include the thermal stability of the antioxidant, the specific frying conditions (like temperature and oil turnover rate), the type of food being fried, and the desired shelf-life of the final product.
How does the presence of antioxidants in frying oil affect the final product?
-Antioxidants in frying oil can help extend the shelf-life of the final product by preventing oxidation, which can lead to rancidity and flavor changes. However, the type and amount of antioxidants used must be carefully controlled to avoid off-flavors or other negative impacts on product quality.
What are some of the emerging analytical techniques for measuring oil quality?
-Emerging techniques include the use of rapid oxy devices for quick stability measurements and the correlation of mid- and near-infrared devices to established methods like DSC or NMR. These techniques aim to provide faster and more practical ways to assess oil quality in a production environment.
Outlines
😀 Introduction and Welcome
David Johnson, an antioxidant scientist at Caltech, welcomes the audience to the fifth webinar Wednesday, focusing on lipid oxidation. He introduces Rick della Porta, a 34-year veteran at PepsiCo and an expert in fats and oils analysis, particularly frying oils. David outlines the webinar's format, emphasizing the use of the chat for questions, which will be addressed after Rick's presentation.
🧪 Antioxidant Research and Application in Frying Oils
Rick della Porta discusses his background in organic chemistry and its application to food and fats. He emphasizes the role of antioxidants in preventing oil oxidation during processing. Rick highlights the importance of research in guiding practical applications and the disconnect between academic research and real-world needs. He also touches on the different methods of frying and the unique considerations for stabilizing oil for immediate consumption versus longer shelf life.
🔍 Measuring Antioxidant Efficacy and Oil Quality
Rick explores various methods for measuring antioxidant efficacy and oil quality, including standard measures like peroxide and free fatty acid levels, HPLC analysis, and rapid oxygen permeation tests. He stresses the importance of understanding the relationship between these measurements and real-world product quality. Rick also discusses the use of different analytical techniques and the need for correlated methodologies to ensure rapid and accurate assessments.
🌐 Regulatory and Practical Challenges in Antioxidant Use
The discussion shifts to the regulatory aspects and practical challenges of using antioxidants in the food industry. Rick talks about the need for reformulation based on country-specific regulations and the impact of antioxidant levels on product flavor and color. He also addresses the importance of considering the baseline effects of oil components and the influence of frying conditions on the effectiveness of antioxidants.
📈 Testing and Application of Antioxidants in Industrial Frying
Rick delves into the specifics of testing antioxidants in continuous frying systems, emphasizing the importance of reaching equilibrium and the different time frames for various reactions. He shares insights on the use of natural antioxidants, the impact of heat on their stability, and the challenges of translating lab findings to industrial applications. Rick also discusses the use of in-line FTIR and HPLC for rapid quality assessments.
🌟 Success in Extending Frying Oil and Product Shelf Life
The conversation focuses on the successful extension of frying oil and product shelf life through antioxidant use. Rick addresses questions about pilot-scale continuous fryers, the focus on extending both fry life and product shelf life, and the use of FTIR and HPLC in testing. He also discusses the impact of specific antioxidants on product stability and the importance of benchmarking against existing systems.
📚 Research and Development for Improved Frying Systems
Rick encourages the submission of research papers for the lipid oxidation section, highlighting the need for ongoing testing and development to improve frying systems. He emphasizes the value of sharing findings and cross-corraboration in the field. The session concludes with thanks to Rick for his insights and a final call for any last-minute audience questions.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Antioxidant
💡Lipid Oxidation
💡Frying Oils
💡Shelf-Life
💡Polyunsaturated Fats
💡Free Radicals
💡Quality Control
💡Continuous Frying System
💡Accelerated Shelf-Life Techniques
💡Regulatory Approval
💡Oxidative Stability
Highlights
David Johnson, an antioxidant scientist at Caltech, moderates the webinar discussing lipid oxidation.
Rick della Porta, a leading expert in analysis of fats and oils with 34 years of experience at PepsiCo, shares his insights.
Rick emphasizes the importance of natural antioxidants over synthetic ones for their superior activity in normal conditions.
The webinar highlights the gap between academic research and real-world applications of antioxidant systems.
Different frying systems, such as batch and continuous, require different approaches to oil stabilization.
Rick discusses the role of antioxidants in improving oil quality and extending the shelf-life of fried products.
The industry lacks a consistent antioxidant experiment or protocol, leading to varied and sometimes ineffective applications.
Rick explores various synthetic and natural antioxidants, including rosemary, green tea extract, and ascorbic acid, for their effects in frying oils.
Standard measures like peroxide value and free fatty acid levels provide insights into oil quality.
HPLC analysis is a powerful tool for examining oil components but requires understanding rate relationships.
Rick mentions the use of rapid oxy, a device for measuring oil stability under heat and oxygen, as a promising development.
The challenge of translating academic findings to commercial needs is a key topic, with a focus on activity measurements and frying stability.
The webinar addresses the regulatory challenges of using different antioxidants in various countries due to legal limitations.
Rick stresses the importance of not generalizing results and being specific about what has been tested and the expected applications.
The use of pilot-scale continuous fryers is discussed as a way to simulate real-world conditions for testing.
Rick shares his experience with various analytical techniques such as FTIR, HPLC, and the limitations and benefits of each.
The impact of heat on the stability of different natural antioxidants is examined, with rosemary and ascorbic acid highlighted.
The webinar concludes with a call for research papers on lipid oxidation for future scientific meetings, encouraging further innovation in the field.
Transcripts
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