The antioxidant ability of nutmeg ethanolic extract in bulk oil and oil-in-water emulsion matrices

Abstract

The antioxidant ability of 80% ethanolic extract of nutmeg seed (NM80) was evaluated using in vitro assays and bulk oil and oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion matrices. The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging, 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) cation radical scavenging, and oxygen radical antioxidant capacity (ORAC) in vitro assays were used to evaluate the antioxidant ability of the extract. The DPPH radical scavenging activities of 25, 50, 100, and 200 μg/mL NM80 were 12.5, 20.9, 35.1, and 62.8%, respectively, while the ABTS cation radical scavenging activities were 2.7, 6.5, 30.5, and 29.8%, respectively, demonstrating a dose-dependent effect. The ORAC value was significantly higher at an NM80 concentration of 25 μg/mL than the positive control (p<0.05). The conjugated dienoic acid (CDA), ρ-anisidine, and tertiary butyl alcohol values in 90-min-heated corn oil containing 200 ppm of NM80 were significantly reduced by 3.26, 16.94, and 17.34%, respectively, compared to those for the sample without NM80 (p<0.05). However, the headspace oxygen content and CDA value in the O/W emulsion containing 200 ppm of NM80 at 60°C had 6.29 and 82.85% lower values, respectively, than those for the sample without NM80 (p<0.05). The major volatile compounds of NM80 were allyl phenoxyacetate, eugenol acetate, and eugenol. NM80 could be an effective natural antioxidant in lipid-rich foods in bulk oil or O/W emulsion matrix.