Evaluation of the Effect of Red Chilli Addition to Food Products on Their Shelf-Life

Food products containing fats can deteriorate during shelf-life because of oxidation reactions involving oxygen consumption. The instrument OXITEST based on a measure of accelerating oxidation process using high temperatures and pre-determined oxygen pressure, offers a reliable evaluation of the oxidative damage of a food product. The determination of the antioxidant capacity of spices such as red chili in foods could be of great importance for researchers and those involved in the agrofood industry. In this application note, the effect of the addition of red chili to extra-virgin olive oil has been tested. The powders of red chili belonging to three different cultivars, and characterized by different levels of piquancy, has been added to extra-virgin olive oil samples. The determination of the oxidative stability has been carried out by OXITEST during shelf-life at room temperature.