Balance between polyunsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants in nutrition

It is recommended that humans increase their consumption of omega‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) because of many nutritional advantages. However, the oxidative instability of these fatty acids poses a problem regarding the sensory and nutritional quality of foods. It is clear that antioxidants need to be added to stabilize these lipids during food processing and storage, as well as to provide the body with enough antioxidant power to counteract any oxidative stress resulting from the increased intake of PUFA. However, we need more knowledge regarding the levels of antioxidant required for food stability and nutritional adequacy as well as the nature of antioxidant oxidation products and their toxicological significance.