Evaluation of antioxidant activity of methanolic extract from peanut hulls in fried potato chips.

Antioxidant activity of methanolic extract from peanut hulls (MEPH) was evaluated in fried potato chips during storage at 25 degrees C and 45 degrees C. Free fatty acids (FFA) and peroxide values (POV) were used as criteria to assess MEPH as an antioxidant. After six months storage at 45 degrees C potato chips treated with 1200 and 1600 ppm of MEPH showed lower values of FFA (0.083, 0.080%) and POV (30.0, 29.0 mEq/kg) than the control samples (FFA 0.377%, and POV 180 mEq/kg). Potato chips treated with BHA and BHT showed POVs of 29.0 and 25.0 mEq/kg whereas FFA values were 0.0086 and 0.074%, respectively, after six months storage at 45 degrees C. These results illustrate that MEPH, at various concentrations, exhibited very strong antioxidant activity which was almost equal to synthetic antioxidants (BHA & BHT). Subjective evaluation studies also showed that potato chips treated with 1200-1600 ppm MEPH after six months storage at 45 degrees C, were organoleptically acceptable.