Antioxidant activity and sensory improvement of Angelica dahurica cv. Yubaizhi essential oil on sunflower oil during high-temperature storage

The oxidative state of sunflower oil during high-temperature storage has been facing large challenges. In the study, the antioxidant effect of the essential oil of Angelica dahurica cv. Yubaizhi (ADEO) in sunflower oil was explored. In the high-temperature storage for 24 days at 65 °C, ADEO (800 ppm) was able to markedly inhibit the development of the acid value (AV), peroxide value (PV), p-anisidine value (AnV), total oxidation value (TOTOX), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), total polar compounds (TPC), and the absorbance at 232 and 268 nm (p < 0.01 or p < 0.05) of sunflower oil and to prominently inhibit the transformation between unsaturated fatty acids (UFA) and saturated fatty acids (SFA). Interestingly, the synergistic effect of ADEO (400 ppm) and tert-butyl hydroquinone (TBHQ, 100 ppm) was demonstrated. Furthermore, the sensory attributes such as flavor, taste, and overall acceptability of oxidized sunflower oil added by ADEO at 200, 400, and 800 ppm were memorably elevated (p < 0.05). Besides, one of its main compounds, myrcene, was demonstrated to be its active compound during the whole investigation. Consequently, TBHQ at 200 ppm could be substituted by ADEO at 800 ppm and myrcene at 69.8 ppm in the high-temperature storage at 65 °C of sunflower oil.