Natural antioxidants and its application in fish and fish products

Abstract

Numerous scientific studies suggest that antioxidants from natural sources have the potential to replace their synthetic counterparts in food applications. Use of plant extracts or plant essential oils is an effective approach towards inhibiting lipid oxidation during storage of chilled/frozen/dried fish and fish products. Many extracts have been successfully applied in fish systems to arrest/control oxidation during processing and storage. Extracts from rosemary, thyme, grape seed, clove and tea are the most widely studied antioxidants for fish application. Edible and biodegradable packaging materials incorporated with antioxidants can that can release active components directly into the food or to the head space finds good potential in seafood industry. A lot of scientific efforts have also been oriented towards the use of natural antioxidants in fish oil in the past few years. This chapter gives a brief account of successful application of natural plant antioxidants in fish and fish products.