Tocotrienols in food

Vitamin E is represented by eight different isomers of varying biological potency: four tocopherols and four tocotrienols differ in that the tocopherols have a saturated C16 isoprenoid side chain whereas the tocotrienols have a similar isoprenoid with an unsaturated side chain.

Tocotrienols as a group or as specific isomers have in recent decades been added to the food supply, either as ingredients added to foods or in dietary supplements.

Three major sources of tocotrienols are rice, palm, annatto. One of the biggest challenges in the food industry is keeping food fresh for extended periods of time. This is of particular concern when food contains monounsaturated or polyunsaturated vegetable oils and it is easily oxidized.

Therefore, antioxidants are added to prevent oxidation and preserve freshness. Palm oil and palm tocotrienols are being added to foods for this purpose. Tocotrienols are as efficient as tocopherols in quenching peroxyl radicals in solution whereas in membranes, tocotrienols seem to be more active.

Tocotrienols and tocopherols are powerful antioxidants – known as early as 1937 – for improving food protection and are shown today to potentially protection from cognitive decline. Tocotrienols can help human minds healthy by protecting the blood vessels going to the brain and maintaining proper circulation.
Tocotrienols in food

Tocopherols as antioxidant in food

The tocopherols are optically active, liquid alcohols and only the D-isomers occur in nature. The tocopherols are antioxidants. They are fat soluble and are added to fats and oils to delay or prevent rancidity.

Tocopherols are a group of chemically related compounds occurring naturally in plant tissues especially in nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables which show both antioxidant and vitamin E activity. Vegetable oils are the most important sources of tocopherols.

Wheat germ oil and cottonseed oil are the best source of vitamin E (α-tocopherol). The tocopherols include α, β, γ and 𝛿 homologs and the corresponding tocotrienols. The basic structural unit in all the homologs is a hydroxylated benzene ring system and a isoprenoid side chain.
Tocopherols as antioxidant in food