Spices and Herbs as a Source of Natural Antioxidants for Food

The oxidative reactions limit the shelf life of fresh and processed foodstuff and are a serious concern in the food industry. The free radical formations leading to the oxidation of biomolecules are implicated in several diseases. Many foods are becoming more susceptible to oxidative rancidity due to attempts to make foods healthier by increasing polyunsaturated fatty acids and more sustainable by introducing light weight oxygen-permeable and light penetrating packaging. The use of synthetic antioxidants such as butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) have been used widely for many years to retard lipid oxidation, but current concern about their safety, together with increasing consumer preference for natural products, has resulted in an increased demand for natural antioxidants. Due to natural antioxidant components, spices and herbs are great sources of antioxidants for food preservation. Therefore, use of spices and herbs present a better choice than synthetic antioxidants, which has become popular and is widely accepted by consumers