ABSTRACT
An effective way to prevent oxidation of oils and fats is addition of antioxidants. However, the use of synthetic antioxidants for this purpose is gradually being discontinued due to their undesirable side effects. Therefore, extraction and production of natural antioxidants is a necessity. The objective of this study was to isolate cinnamon extract by the Soxhlet and cold solvent methods, employing acetone and methanol as solvents, and to investigate its effects on the stability of sunflower oil. Acetone and methanolic extracts of cinnamon were obtained by the Soxhlet and cold solvent methods. Extraction efficiency was determined and the total content of phenolic compounds in the extracts measured by the Folin Ciocalteau method. The extracts were added to refined sunflower oil samples at concentrations of 0.02%, 0.04%, 0.06%, 0.08% and 0.1%, followed by determination of stability of the samples [as assessed by delayed oxidation]. Peroxide value and induction period measurements were used to evaluate the antioxidant activity, the control being synthetic antioxidant TBHQ at a concentration of 0.01%. The extraction efficiency by the Soxhlet method was higher than that of the cold solvent method; however the phenolic compounds content of the extracts isolated by the cold solvent method was higher. In both the Soxhlet and cold solvent methods, the efficiency of exrtarction by methanol was higher than by acetone solvent, while the phenolic compounds content was higher when acetone solvent was used. The data also showed that the antioxidant activity of the extracts was concentration-dependent .The extract isolated with acetone acted better than that isolated with methanol, such that at a concentration of 0.1% it showed the highest activity, second only to synthetic antioxidant TBHQ at the same concentration. Cinnamon extract has antioxidant activity, which is related to its content of phenolic compounds and other antioxidants. Further research is required to get more information before it can be used routinely as a source of natural antioxidants