Antioxidants - Producing Quality Food

What are antioxidants?

The prefix "anti" means against and "oxidant" is commonly known as free radicals which might harm our body. Basically, they are substances that reduce, neutralize and prevent damage done to the body by free radicals. They prevent oxidation from occurring.

Why free radicals are harmful to our body?

It is because these external sources undergo oxidation due to the exposure to sunlight and pollution. This causes the breakdown of cell which produce free radicals to attack and destroy healthy cells.
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and Vitamin E (α-tocopherol) are the safest antioxidants.

• Vitamin C inhibits the formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines, stimulates the immune system, protects against chromosome breakage and reduces the risk of certain cancer. Oranges and limes are rich with Vitamin C.
  

• Vitamin E is leading antioxidants which neutralizes free radical compounds before they can damage cell membranes and helps to reduce the risk of heart diseases and cancer. It also boosts the immune system's ability to fight off diseases by increasing the level of interferon and infection. Vitamin E can be found in kiwi, milk, eggs etc.
  

All food are vulnerable to oxidation, especially when they contain fats and oils, which can turn rancid, that is, the fats and oils are oxidized to volatile organic compounds with foul odours (for example, butanoic acid). Antioxidants are added to fats, oils, cakes, sausages, biscuits, and fried foods to slow down the oxidation process. Antioxidants are also used in cosmetics to slow down the aging process of skin.

Therefore, antioxidants are useful for our daily life and also important to our body.