Iron‐Catalyzed Oxidation of Menhaden Oil as Affected by Emulsifiers

The ability of Tween 20 and whey protein isolate (WPI) to influence lipid oxidation was investigated by evaluating the effects of emulsifier concentration and physical location on iron‐catalyzed oxidation of emulsified Menhaden oil. Addition of Tween 20 or WPI to the aqueous phase of a 0.5 wt% Tween 20 stabilized emulsion increased lipid oxidation as determined by both thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and lipid peroxides. Tween 20 (2.0 wt%) and WPI (0.05–1.0 wt%) combinations inhibited TBARS formation 23–60%. Oxidation of a WPI‐stabilized emulsion decreased with decreasing pH (3–7) but in a Tween 20 stabilized emulsion oxidation increased with decreasing pH. The low oxidation rate for the WPI‐stabilized emulsion at pH 3 was increased when Tween 20 displaced WPI from the droplet interface. Results indicate that the oxidative stability of emulsifed Menhaden oil could be increased by controlling emulsifier type, location and concentration.