ACTA Scientiarum Polonorum

The effects of natural antioxidants from raspberry and black currant seeds and modified atmosphere packaging on muesli oxidative stability measured by monitoring volatile lipid oxidation products were evaluated. The effectiveness toward lipid oxidation was investigated during 10 months storage at ambient temperature. Both ethanolic extracts as well as nitrogen atmosphere influenced lipid oxidation rate in muesli measured by volatile compounds content. The most abundant lipid derived volatile compounds was hexanal. After storage, its concentration changed from 802 µg/kg to 9.8 mg/kg in muesli stored in air atmosphere, whereas in muesli stored in nitrogen atmosphere with raspberry seed extract addition it raised to 3.1 mg/kg. Although, both natural antioxidants rich in phenolic compounds, were effective towards lipid oxidation, the strongest inhibiting effect had modified atmosphere packaging. The addition of ethanolic extracts did not fortify its positive effect. Total concentration of volatile compounds in muesli after 10 months of storage was 19.6 mg/kg when stored in air and 13.7 and 11.8 mg/kg when stored with raspberry and black currant seeds extract addition respectively, while 9.8 mg/kg when stored in nitrogen atmosphere without antioxidants, and 9.7 and 9.9 mg/kg when stored with antioxidants mentioned above.