Can Tho University Journal of Science (Nov 2016)
Study on folate stability during thermal processing
Abstract
Stability of folate at different pH (3 to 9) toward thermal (65 to 140oC) treatments was studied on a kinetic basis. Residual folate concentration after thermal treatment was measured using reverse phase liquid chromatography. A model to describe the temperature effect on folate degradation rate constant is presented with the degradation of folates followed first-order reaction kinetics. The estimated Arrhenius activation energy (Ea) values of folate thermal degradation were determined.At all pH values studied, it was found that (i) folic acid and 5-formyltetrahydrofolic acid were more thermo stable than tetrahydrofolic acid and 5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid and (ii) all folates studied had the highest stability at neutral pH (pH 7.0) or alkaline pH (pH 9.2).