STORAGE STABILITY OF α‐TOCOPHEROL IN A DEHYDRATED MODEL FOOD SYSTEM CONTAINING NO FAT

Storage stability of α‐tocopherol in a model food system containing no fat was shown to be a function of water activity (a w ), storage temperature, and the molar ratio of oxygen:α‐tocopherol. The degradation rate of α‐tocopherol increased as the water activity was increased in the range 0.10–0.65 a w , as the storage temperature was increased from 20 to 37°C, and as the molar ratio of oxygen:α‐tocopherol was increased from approximately 15:l to 1450:1. Degradation data of α‐tocopherol from all storage conditions best fit the first order rate kinetics model. Experimental activation energies ranged from 8.85–13.05 Kcal mol −1 .