Evaluation of combinatory natural and synthetic antioxidants and Citric Acid to stabilizing of butter ghee

Traditional butter ghee contains little α-tocopherol and some microbial, enzymatic and metallic contaminations and it is susceptible to decay during production. Hence, for increasing its shelf-life the combinatory antioxidants can be used. In this study, the 0.05%, 0.1% and 0.15% concentrations of Gallic Acid, Quercetin, Citric Acid and BHT antioxidants have been evaluated by Rancimat apparatus at 120 and 150 ˚C. As a result, the selected best antioxidant treatments were preserved at refrigerator (4±1 ˚ C) and ambient (24±1 ˚ C) temperatures for two months. During this period, Rancimat tests, acid value and peroxide number were measured once in two weeks. As a result, at 120 and 150˚ C the best antioxidant was proved to be Gallic Acid with a concentration of 0.15% and during the preservation period, 0.15% Gallic Acid at the ambient temperature was stronger than the other samples and 0.15% Quercetin placed second. The combinatory samples of 0.05% Gallic acid with all levels of Citric Acid showed a significant synergistic effect at 120˚ C.