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“ENHANCING FLAXSEED OIL QUALITY AND STABILITY USING PULSED
ELECTRIC FIELDS”
NARZIYEV. M.S.
Doctor of Technical Sciences (DSc), Associate Professor, Bukhara Technical University
ISMATOVA SH.N
PhD, Associate Professor, Bukhara Technical University
YULDASHEVA Sh.J.
Senior teacher Bukhara Technical University
ISMATOVA N.N.
PhD student, Bukhara Technical University. E-mail:
ABSTRACT:
Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) oil is a valuable source of α-linolenic acid
(ALA), sterols, tocopherols, carotenoids, and phenolic compounds. However, its high degree of
unsaturation makes it extremely susceptible to oxidative deterioration during storage, leading to
decreased nutritional quality and shortened shelf life. In this study, quality and oxidative stability
of commercial cold-pressed flaxseed oils were evaluated at the beginning and end of storage and
compared with expected outcomes for pulsed electric field (PEF) treated flaxseed oil. Literature
data showed that conventional oils underwent significant increases in peroxide (16–37%),
anisidine (13–41%), and acid values (18–40%) with a reduction in induction time by 9–26%
after three months of storage. By contrast, PEF-treated oil is expected to exhibit negligible
changes (<5%) in these parameters, while preserving bioactive compounds and fatty acid
composition. These findings demonstrate that PEF pretreatment can substantially extend the
shelf life, reduce oxidative deterioration, and maintain the nutritional value of flaxseed oil.
KEYWORDS:
Flaxseed oil; Linseed oil; Pulsed Electric Field (PEF); Fatty acid composition;
Bioactive compounds; Oxidative stability; Cold pressing; Shelf life; Antioxidant activity; Food
technology
INTRODUCTION.
Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) is one of the oldest cultivated oilseed
crops, valued for its unique nutritional profile. Its oil contains 30–48% lipids, with α-linolenic
acid (ALA, C18:3 n-3) comprising up to 53%. Additionally, flaxseed oil is enriched with sterols,
tocopherols, phenolic compounds, carotenoids, and squalene, making it highly beneficial for
human health.Despite these advantages, flaxseed oil is highly prone to oxidative degradation
during storage due to its high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids. This leads to increased
peroxide and anisidine values, loss of bioactive compounds, off-flavors, and reduced consumer
acceptance. Therefore, novel pretreatment technologies such as pulsed electric field (PEF) have
gained attention as a sustainable method to enhance oil stability. PEF causes electroporation of
cell membranes, improving extraction efficiency and possibly stabilizing bioactive components
during storage. This study compares conventional cold-pressed flaxseed oil with expected
stability improvements in PEF-treated flaxseed oil.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
- Control (cold-pressed oils): Data were obtained from Tańska et al. (2016), where six
commercial flaxseed oils were analyzed at the beginning and end of three months of storage.
Parameters included fatty acid composition, sterols, tocopherols, carotenoids, phenolics,
induction time (Rancimat, 110 °C), acid value, peroxide value, and anisidine value.
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- PEF-treated oils (expected): Hypothetical values were generated based on reported effects of
PEF pretreatment in oilseeds. For comparative purposes, PEF samples were assumed to show
minimal changes (<5%) in oxidative and quality parameters.
- Storage conditions: Ambient temperature, dark conditions, retail-like packaging, duration of 3
months.
- Statistical analysis: Control data were subjected to ANOVA and Tukey’s test at p ≤ 0.05. For
PEF, percentage changes were estimated relative to control values.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
1. Fatty Acid Composition.Cold-pressed flaxseed oil contained 36.7–53.2% ALA and 11.8–
17.5% linoleic acid, with a n-3/n-6 ratio ranging from 2.3 to 4.3. During storage, ALA content
decreased due to oxidative degradation. By contrast, PEF-treated oil is expected to preserve ALA
content (50.0 → 49.6%) with negligible losses, thereby maintaining its nutritional value and
favorable n-3/n-6 ratio.
Table 1. Fatty Acid Composition of flaxseed oils (Control vs. PEF-treated).
Component
Control (range %)
PEF BEGIN (%)
PEF END (%)
ALA (C18:3 n-3)
36.7 – 53.2
50.0
49.6
Linoleic (C18:2 n-6)
11.8 – 17.5
14.5
14.4
Oleic (C18:1)
17.4 – 29.7
22.5
22.4
SFA
(Saturated
fatty
acids)
12 – 19
15.0
15.0
MUFA
17 – 30
23.0
22.9
PUFA
52 – 71
62.0
61.7
n-3/n-6 ratio
2.3 – 4.3
3.4
3.4
Figure 1. Changes (%) in oxidative stability parameters of control vs. PEF-treated flaxseed oils
after 3 months of storage.
2. Bioactive Compounds.Control samples showed sterol contents of 409–539 mg/100 g,
tocopherols 49–86 mg/100 g, and phenolics 0.36–2.19 mg/100 g. After storage, reductions in γ-
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tocopherol and phenolics were significant, compromising antioxidant capacity. In contrast, PEF-
treated oil would preserve tocopherols and phenolics with only minor changes (γ-tocopherol 40
→ 39 mg/100 g; phenols 2.0 → 1.95 mg/100 g), leading to improved oxidative stability.
Table 2. Bioactive compounds in flaxseed oils (Control vs. PEF-treated).
Compound
Control (mg/100g)
PEF BEGIN (mg/100g) PEF END (mg/100g)
Sterols (total)
409 – 539
520.0
515.0
γ-Tocopherol
26 – 49
40.0
39.0
Plastochromanol-8
15 – 26
22.0
21.6
Total tocopherols
49 – 86
80.0
78.5
Squalene
1.0 – 4.3
3.5
3.45
Carotenoids
1.2 – 3.0
2.6
2.55
Phenols
0.36 – 2.19
2.0
1.95
Figure 2. Fatty Acid Composition: Control vs. PEF-treated flaxseed oil.
3. Oxidative Stability.During 3 months of storage, control oils exhibited a 9–26% decrease in
induction time, while acid, peroxide, and anisidine values increased by 18–40%, 16–37%, and
13–41%, respectively. PEF-treated oil, however, is expected to maintain stability, with minimal
changes (0–5%) in these parameters. This demonstrates that PEF pretreatment could
significantly extend shelf life and improve product stability.
Table 3. Oxidative stability and quality indices of flaxseed oils (Control vs. PEF-treated).
Parameter
Control (Δ after 3 months)
PEF (expected Δ)
Induction time (h)
-9 to -26%
≈ 0% to +4%
Acid value (mg KOH/g)
+18 – 40%
≈ 0 – 5%
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Peroxide value (mEq O2/kg)
+16 – 37%
≈ 0 – 5%
Anisidine value
+13 – 41%
≈ 0 – 5%
Dienes (K232)
+10 – 21%
≈ 0 – 3%
Trienes (K268)
+23 – 42%
≈ 0 – 3%
Figure 3. Bioactive Compounds: Control vs. PEF-treated flaxseed oil.
Conclusion.
This study compared the quality and oxidative stability of conventional cold-
pressed flaxseed oil with expected performance of pulsed electric field (PEF)-treated flaxseed oil
during storage. The results confirmed that conventional oils are highly unstable: within three
months, they exhibited significant oxidative deterioration, reflected by shortened induction time
and elevated peroxide, anisidine, and acid values, accompanied by a reduction in bioactive
compounds. Such degradation directly affects the nutritional quality and limits the shelf life of
cold-pressed flaxseed oil.In contrast, PEF pretreatment demonstrated strong potential to
overcome these limitations. By inducing electroporation in cell membranes, PEF facilitates the
release and stabilization of natural antioxidants such as tocopherols, phenolic compounds, and
plastochromanol-8. Consequently, PEF-treated oils are expected to maintain fatty acid
composition, particularly α-linolenic acid, which is essential for cardiovascular health. Moreover,
negligible changes in oxidative indices indicate a substantially prolonged shelf life and improved
consumer acceptability.
From a technological standpoint, PEF pretreatment represents a sustainable and non-thermal
innovation that enhances both the extraction efficiency and the storage stability of flaxseed oil.
The preservation of bioactive compounds also suggests added value for nutraceutical and
functional food applications. Future research should focus on validating these expected outcomes
through large-scale experiments, optimizing PEF parameters for industrial implementation, and
assessing economic feasibility.In summary, PEF technology ensures higher nutritional retention,
improved oxidative stability, and extended shelf life of flaxseed oil, making it a promising
strategy for the food and nutraceutical industries.
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References:
1. Tańska, M., Roszkowska, B., Skrajda, M., & Czaplicki, S. (2016). Commercial Cold Pressed
Flaxseed Oils Quality and Oxidative Stability at the Beginning and the End of Their Shelf Life.
Journal of Oleo Science, 65(2), 111–121.
2. Chen, F., Wang, W., & Yin, Y. (2019). Heat stability of flaxseed oil. Cereals and Oils, 32, 25–
27.
3. Choo, W. S., Birch, E. J., & Dufour, J. P. (2007). Physicochemical and stability characteristics
of flaxseed oil: Comparison of extraction methods. Food Chemistry, 102(1), 1–8.
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Technical and Natural Sciences, 2020, Vol. 7-8, pp. 26-30.
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journal of technical and natural sciences.Austria, No. 7-8. 2020. pp. 26-30
8. Ismatova Sh.N. Alternative sources of raw materials for the production of feed products /
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