Preservation of alpha-tocopherol in sunflower oil by herbs and spices.

The ability of some commercially available herb and spice extracts to preserve alpha-tocopherol in sunflower oil during heating at 85-105 degrees C was assessed using sunflower oil as a model system. The Rancimat was evaluated for the heating stage and was used throughout as it was shown to be viable: alpha-tocopherol did not evaporate under the test conditions. The delay in the onset of rancidity was found to be directly related to the initial alpha-tocopherol concentration (P < 0.