Tracking Lipid Oxidation and Antioxidant Activity in Foods Using Calorimetry: Methods, Mechanisms, and Applications

Abstract

Lipid oxidation is a major contributor to quality loss and reduced shelf life in plant-based foods, such as oils, cereals, nuts, fruits, and vegetables. Although antioxidants are used to delay this deterioration, accurately evaluating their effectiveness in real food matrices remains challenging. Conventional assays like peroxide value and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) provide limited predictive power for shelf-life outcomes. Calorimetric techniques, by directly measuring the heat released during oxidation, offer a real-time and quantitative alternative. This review examines the use of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and isothermal calorimetry (IC) to assess antioxidant efficacy in various plant-derived food systems. After outlining lipid oxidation mechanisms and antioxidant modes of action, the review highlights how these calorimetric methods capture oxidative activity and quantify antioxidant effects through parameters, such as induction time, heat flow, and kinetic modeling. Case studies demonstrate their application in systems like tocopherol-enriched oils and emulsions containing natural extracts. Calorimetry enables real-time oxidation tracking and reveals insights into antioxidant mechanisms, including synergistic or prooxidant behaviors at different doses. Although DSC is suited for rapid testing under high-temperature conditions, IC provides sensitive, long-term monitoring closer to actual storage environments. Challenges such as method standardization and matrix complexity remain, but integrating calorimetry with complementary analytical tools is enhancing its predictive power. In summary, calorimetry provides an indispensable tool kit that bridges the gap between chemical assays and real-world shelf life. These methods offer predictive, mechanistic insights essential for developing and validating effective natural preservation strategies to improve food quality and reduce waste.

Practical Applications: The insights presented in this review provide a critical framework for food scientists and quality control laboratories to select appropriate calorimetric techniques (DSC, IC) for specific food matrices. By elucidating the correlation between thermodynamic data and oxidative stability, this work assists in the transition from traditional, single-point chemical assays to more predictive, real-time monitoring tools. These methods are directly applicable for optimizing antioxidant formulations and validating natural preservatives in plant-based systems. Consequently, the practical implementation of these calorimetric strategies enables more accurate shelf-life prediction, supporting the industry in developing effective preservation protocols to minimize food waste and maintain nutritional quality.