The Potential of Ferulic Acid and Quercetin as Natural Antioxidants to Inhibit Lipid Oxidation in Hemp Seed Oil

Hemp seed oil is a rich source of essential polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) such as omega-6 and omega-3, making it a health-beneficial food ingredient. On the other hand, the high content of PUFAs makes this oil highly prone to lipid oxidation. This susceptibility highlights the need to find potential antioxidant systems to inhibit lipid oxidation effectively. While synthetic antioxidants can mitigate this issue, their associated health concerns and the growing consumer preference for clean-label foods necessitate the search for natural alternatives. This study aimed at assessing the potential of two phenolic compounds, ferulic acid and quercetin, as natural antioxidants to inhibit lipid oxidation in hemp seed oil and comparing their effectiveness to a synthetic antioxidant, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). The oil samples were enriched with various concentrations of each antioxidant, and the antioxidant activity indexes were assessed using the Rancimat method. Results showed that both natural antioxidants enhanced oxidative stability more effectively than BHT, once a certain concentration threshold was reached. The study revealed that quercetin exhibited potent antioxidant properties even at lower concentrations compared to ferulic acid, indicating its higher potency and efficiency as an antioxidant compound. These findings suggest that both ferulic acid and quercetin possess promising potential as natural antioxidants for improving the shelf life and stability of hemp seed.