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New Insight into Edible Oil: From Food Chemistry to Health Benefits

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2025 | Viewed by 4257

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Life Sciences, 60-637 Poznań, Poland
Interests: vegetable oils; composition; fatty acids; bioactive compounds; antioxidants; frying; cooking; storage; oxidation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Along with proteins and carbohydrates, dietary fats are one of the three main components of the human diet. Vegetable oils and fats are carriers of taste and aroma as well as bioactive compounds, vitamins, and antioxidants. Often processed through various technological processes, they can lose their properties and become a source of compounds that are unfavourable to humans. In addition, all kinds of impurities appearing in edible fats require detailed quantitative and qualitative analysis. The adulteration of vegetable oils is also an important problem in marketing.

The aim of this Special Issue is to showcase the latest developments in the analytics of edible oils, the degradation that occurs during oil processing and storage, and the impact of this degradation on human health. All kinds of structured fats and nanoemulsions and their influence on the thermal and oxidative stability of edible fats and oils will be an important part of this issue.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but not limited to) the following:

  • Quality and composition of unconventional edible oils;
  • Thermo-oxidative stability of edible oils and fats and influence of natural antioxidants on their stability;
  • New structured lipids and their influence on the health benefits;
  • Identification of contaminations and adulterations in edible oils and fats and their effects on human health.

I look forward to receiving insightful contributions.

Prof. Dr. Magdalena Rudzińska
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • edible oils
  • fats
  • structured lipids
  • bioactive compounds
  • quality
  • stability
  • degradation
  • contamination

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

25 pages, 1669 KiB  
Article
Enhancing Commercial Gourmet Oil Quality: The Role of Dried Cayenne Pepper Red (Capsicum annuum L.) as a Natural Additive
by Zuzana Knazicka, Branislav Galik, Ivana Novotna, Julius Arvay, Katarina Fatrcova-Sramkova, Miroslava Kacaniova, Jiri Mlcek, Eva Kovacikova, Eva Mixtajova, Tunde Jurikova, Eva Ivanisova, Adriana Kolesarova and Hana Duranova
Molecules 2025, 30(4), 927; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30040927 - 17 Feb 2025
Viewed by 709
Abstract
This study assessed the potential of dried Cayenne pepper (CP; Capsicum annuum L.) as a natural additive to rice bran oil (RBO), grape seed oil (GSO), and virgin olive oil (OO). Key analyses included peroxide and acid values, oxidative stability (Rancimat method), the [...] Read more.
This study assessed the potential of dried Cayenne pepper (CP; Capsicum annuum L.) as a natural additive to rice bran oil (RBO), grape seed oil (GSO), and virgin olive oil (OO). Key analyses included peroxide and acid values, oxidative stability (Rancimat method), the composition of fatty acids (FAs) (GC-FID method), antioxidant activity (AA; DPPH method), and antimicrobial properties (disc diffusion method). Capsaicin and the dihydrocapsaicin contents in CP were quantified (HPLC-DAD method) as 1499.37 ± 3.64 and 1449.04 ± 5.14 mg/kg DW, respectively. Oleic acid (C18:1cis n9) dominated in OO (69.70%), OO-CP (69.73%), and RBO-CP (38.97%), while linoleic acid (C18:2cis n6) prevailed in RBO (41.34%), GSO (57.93%), and GSO-CP (58.03%). The addition of CP influenced the FA profile, particularly linoleic acid in OO and RBO, and all FAs in GSO. Peroxide and acid values increased significantly in RBO and GSO upon CP addition, but induction times remained unaffected. The strongest AA (77.00 ± 0.13%) was observed in OO-CP. Cayenne pepper significantly enhanced the antioxidant profiles of all oils compared to the counterparts. However, the antimicrobial activity was weak (≤5.0 mm inhibition zones) against tested microorganisms. These findings support CP as a functional additive for enhancing the nutritional and functional properties of gourmet oils, while highlighting the need for further optimization to improve stability and bioactivity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insight into Edible Oil: From Food Chemistry to Health Benefits)
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19 pages, 1079 KiB  
Article
Variation in Linseed Oil Composition: Impact of Cultivar, Cultivation System, and Year of Cultivation
by Grzegorz Dąbrowski, Małgorzata Tańska, Sylwester Czaplicki, Tadeusz Sadowski, Bogumił Rychcik, Marta K. Kostrzewska, Zofia Antoszkiewicz and Iwona Konopka
Molecules 2025, 30(4), 875; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30040875 - 14 Feb 2025
Viewed by 555
Abstract
Linseed oil quality depends on cultivar and agriculture practice/conditions. In this study, we analyzed the effect of the main variable, which was continuous cropping system vs. crop rotation system. The aim of this study was to compare the oil content and composition (fatty [...] Read more.
Linseed oil quality depends on cultivar and agriculture practice/conditions. In this study, we analyzed the effect of the main variable, which was continuous cropping system vs. crop rotation system. The aim of this study was to compare the oil content and composition (fatty acid composition and sterol, tocochromanol, carotenoid, and phenolic contents) of two fiber-type linseed cultivars (Modran and Nike). All measurements were performed according to standard chromatographic/spectrophotometric procedures typical for oil analysis. The factors that affected the crop yield and oil quality of the tested cultivars included the cultivation system (crop rotation or continuous cropping), plant protection level (herbicide application or no herbicide application), and year of cultivation (2018 and 2019). The cultivars exhibited high oil content (35.4–42.7%) with substantial omega-3 fatty acid (α-linolenic acid) content (53.6–62.2% of total fatty acids). The primary bioactive components in all the oils were sterols (dominated by β-sitosterol), with their content reaching 5079 mg/kg, and tocochromanols, with their content reaching 679 mg/kg (dominated by γ-tocopherol), which was influenced by all of the studied factors. In contrast, carotenoids and phenolic compounds constituted a smaller fraction of the oils (up to 17 and 159 mg/kg, respectively), but their content was the most variable and was strongly dependent on the cultivation year and cultivation system (CV 21 and 37%, respectively). In summary, the results of the current study showed that continuous linseed cropping resulted in increased levels of carotenoids, phenolic compounds, and γ-tocopherol in oil. Our findings indicated that the oil content was mostly affected by the cultivar and cultivation year, while the α-linolenic acid content in the oil was also affected by plant protection practices. These findings may be helpful in predicting the composition of obtained linseed oil and applying proper cultivation technology, depending on the purpose of oil usage. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insight into Edible Oil: From Food Chemistry to Health Benefits)
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20 pages, 2036 KiB  
Article
Behavior at Air/Water Interface and Oxidative Stability of Vegetable Oils Analyzed Through Langmuir Monolayer Technique
by Wiktoria Kamińska, Katarzyna Rzyska-Szczupak, Anna Przybylska-Balcerek, Kinga Stuper-Szablewska, Anna Dembska and Grażyna Neunert
Molecules 2025, 30(1), 170; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30010170 - 4 Jan 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 925
Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the oxidative stability and surface properties of cold-pressed vegetable oils using the Langmuir monolayer technique. Six oils—milk thistle, evening primrose, flaxseed, camelina sativa, black cumin, and pumpkin seed—were analyzed to investigate their molecular organization and behavior at the [...] Read more.
This study aimed to evaluate the oxidative stability and surface properties of cold-pressed vegetable oils using the Langmuir monolayer technique. Six oils—milk thistle, evening primrose, flaxseed, camelina sativa, black cumin, and pumpkin seed—were analyzed to investigate their molecular organization and behavior at the air/water interface, particularly after undergoing oxidation. The results showed that oils rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), such as flaxseed and evening primrose oils, formed monolayers with larger molecular areas and lower stability, which led to faster oxidative degradation, especially under thermal conditions. In contrast, pumpkin seed oil, with a higher content of saturated fatty acids (SFAs), formed more condensed and stable monolayers, enhancing its resistance to oxidation. Black cumin oil, with a balanced profile of SFAs and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), demonstrated similar stability. The Langmuir technique facilitated a detailed analysis of monolayer phase transitions: PUFA-rich oils transitioned more readily to less stable phases, while SFA-rich oils maintained durable, condensed structures. These findings underscore the utility of this method for assessing the oxidative stability of vegetable oils and highlight key parameters—such as surface pressure, molecular area, and elasticity modulus—that can support the optimization of oil storage and quality in the food industry and related sectors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insight into Edible Oil: From Food Chemistry to Health Benefits)
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13 pages, 1061 KiB  
Article
Assessment of the Quality, Bioactive Compounds, and Antimicrobial Activity of Egyptian, Ethiopian, and Syrian Black Cumin Oils
by Adel Gabr Abdel-Razek, Minar Mahmoud M. Hassanein, Shimaa Moawad, Amr Farouk, Ahmed Noah Badr, Mohamed Gamal Shehata, Aleksander Siger, Anna Grygier and Magdalena Rudzińska
Molecules 2024, 29(21), 4985; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29214985 - 22 Oct 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1329
Abstract
Background: The oils obtained from the seeds of Nigella sativa, also named black cumin, are rich in bioactive compounds that strengthen immunity and support human health. This study aimed to compare Nigella sativa oils pressed from Egyptian (Eg-NSSO), Ethiopian (Et-NSSO), and Syrian [...] Read more.
Background: The oils obtained from the seeds of Nigella sativa, also named black cumin, are rich in bioactive compounds that strengthen immunity and support human health. This study aimed to compare Nigella sativa oils pressed from Egyptian (Eg-NSSO), Ethiopian (Et-NSSO), and Syrian (Sy-NSSO) seeds. Methods: The analyzed oils were obtained from a local company. The content of phenolic compounds, tocochromanols, phytosterols, volatile compounds, triglycerides, and fatty acids composition was determined using chromatographic methods. The oxidative stability was determined by Rancimat technique as well as the determination of DPPH and ABTS scavenging activity. As an assessment of bioactivity, the antimicrobial and anti-aflatoxigenic properties of oils were evaluated. Results: Ethiopian oil had highest content of phenolic compounds, flavonoids, phytosterols, and tocochromanols and was characterized by the longest induction period (IP = 7.89 h). The share of thymoquinone was the highest in Ethiopian oil (34.84%), followed by Egyptian (27.36%), then Syrian (22.59%). Ethiopian oil recorded a high antibacterial activity, while Egyptian oil showed a unique antifungal activity against toxigenic fungi. Aflatoxins’ secretion into liquid medium containing NSSO was reduced, especially with Egyptian oil. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insight into Edible Oil: From Food Chemistry to Health Benefits)
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