WHAT IS TOCOPHEROL ?
Tocopherol is an antioxidant agent that can be considered as food shelf-life
extending substances protecting them from rancidity deterioration, such as fat
and oil rancidity or color change. Tocopherol well-known as Vitamin E. Natural
vitamin E is a complex of chemicals that includes alpha, beta, gamma, and delta
tocopherols and tocotrienols.
Rancidity means that the food is acceptable for a longer period, hence, it
has a better shelf life. Apart from this, an antioxidant can reduce nutritional
losses (oil-soluble vitamins like vitamin A) and it widens the range of fats and oils,
which can be used in foods. Oxidative rancidity is an irreversible process that can
be substantially delayed by the antioxidant addition.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Vitamin E ( tocopherol) is an important vitamin required for the proper
function of many organs in the body. This means it helps to slow down processes
that damage cells.
An atom is one of the smallest particles of matter. It consists of protons,
neutrons and electrons.Together they balance each other and create a stable atom.
An ion is an atom that has gained or lost an electron. Some of these atoms are
stable with or without this extra electron - these are antioxidants. The atoms that
are unstable when they lose an electron are free radicals.
So an antioxidant is stable when it's missing an electron which means, it
could lose an electron on purpose and be just fine. Well a free radical is unstable
and it's causing lots of damage looking to get its electron back. It damages healthy
cells, damaged cell, cell walls and everything else it can bump into during its period
of "rage" looking for an extra electron.
If you take a 100 antioxidant atoms and dump them into a box of 100 free
radicals, the antioxidants give the free radicals their extra electron. Since the
antioxidants are stable without this extra electron - all is good in the world. The
bouncing, the damage, the problems cease to exist. The antioxidants have saved
the day.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ANTIOXIDANT AND VITAMIN
Natural Tocopherol exists in nature as a mixture of 4 isomers, known under
the generic name of Vitamin E.
There are :
DL-α-Tocopherol
β- Tocopherol
γ- Tocopherol
δ- Tocopherol
Categories of Tocopherol
Blends of Antioxidants: Commonly, blends of different antioxidants are used
to obtain the best antioxidant activity at a low cost and dosage.

Blends of Natural Antioxidants:
The most popular are blends of Natural Tocopherol and Ascorbyl
Palmitate. They are very active and good for vegetable oil applications.
The inconvenience is that Ascorbyl Palmitate adds viscosity to the
final product and it is difficult to dissolve at ambient temperatures.

Blends of Natural and Synthetic Antioxidants
These blends were developed with the aim of obtaining the properties
of Tocopherols and the excellent activity of synthetic antioxidants
for low dosage. Natural Tocopherol blended with Propyl Gallate
stabilize animal fats, especially when used in the cooking or frying
process. Available in liquid and powder form.
NATURAL ANTIOXIDANTS
Tocopherol
Tocopherol, Natural Vitamin E, is produced by molecular distillation of Soya
Bean deodorization distillates. It has 100% active components, containing
Tocopherols, and other antioxidant compounds, phytosterols and squalene.
The recommended dosage is 200-250 ppm for product fat content.
Tocopherol PV
It is the powder form of Tocopherol with either Silica as a carrier or
Calcium Carbonate & Acacia gum as carriers, if an organic status is
requested. Its antioxidant activity increases when it is blended with
Ascorbic Acid. Applicants include meat products, extruded cereals, crumbs
and flours. The recommended dosage is 400-500 ppm for product fat
content.
Tocopherols 50%concentrate
It is recommended for dietetic applications, animal fats, as well as essential
oils and natural flavorings. Tocopherols in vegetable oil has a 2-year shelf
life.
The recommended dosage is 200-250 ppm for product fat content.
100% Natural Tocopherol Blends
Tocopherol Plus L-70
70% active components of Tocopherol and Ascorbyl Palmitate and carriers
(Lecithin, Propylene-Glycol and Citric Acid Esters). The recommended dosage
is 200-250 ppm for product fat content.
Tocopherol Plus CP-60
60% active components of Tocopherol and Ascorbyl Palmitate and carriers
(Propylene-Glycol and Citric Acid Esters). The recommended dosage is 200250 ppm for product fat content.
Tocopherol Plus CP-30 wd
It has 30% active components with Tocopherol and Ascorbyl Palmitate and
carriers (Propylene-Glycol, Citric Acid Esters and Polysorbate). The
recommended dosage is 200-400 ppm for product fat content.
NATURAL AND SYNTHETIC ANTIOXIDANT BLENDS
Tocopherol GL
50% active components of Tocopherol and Propyl Gallate and carriers
(Lecithin).The recommended dosage is 200-250 ppm for product fat content.
Tocopherol Plus GP
45% active components of Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate and Propyl
Gallate. This product is similar to Tocopherol GL, but with no Lecithin. The
recommended dosage is 200-250 ppm for product fat content.
Tocopherol Plus GP wd
It is the water dispersible version of Tocopherol Plus GP with 22.5% active
components Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate and Propyl Gallate as
antioxidants and carriers (Propylene-Glycol, Citric Acid Esters and
Polysorbate). The recommended dosage is 200-250 ppm for product fat
content.
source : http://www.helmnewyork.com/en/products/specification/tocopherolsnatural-mixed.html
Vitamin E ( tocopherol) food sources
Vitamin E ( tocopherol) is not produced by our body and has to be obtained from
our food, animal and vegetarian diet. Vegetable oils are the richest sources of
tocopherols.
Gamma tocopherol widely used to make :
margarine
shortenings
mayonnaise
Other vitamin E rich sources are
palm oil (high
in tocopherol)
corn
soybean
flax seed
sesame oils
Vitamin E food sources
walnuts
peanuts
pecans
wheat
rice
corn
Cereals ready-to-eat, KELLOGG, KELLOGG'S
PRODUCT 19
Cereals ready-to-eat, GENERAL MILLS, TOTAL
Corn Flakes
Oil, vegetable, sunflower, linoleic, (approx. 65%)
Oil, vegetable safflower, salad or cooking, oleic,
over 70% (primary safflower oil of commerce)
Seeds, sunflower seed kernels, dry roasted, with
salt added
Seeds, sunflower seed kernels, dry roasted, with
salt added
Nuts, almonds
Cereals ready-to-eat, GENERAL MILLS, TOTAL
Raisin Bran
Vegetable oil, canola
Cereals ready-to-eat, KELLOGG, KELLOGG'S
SPECIAL K
Nuts, hazelnuts or filberts
Cereals ready-to-eat, KELLOGG, KELLOGG'S
Complete Wheat Bran Flakes
Nuts, mixed nuts, dry roasted, with peanuts, with
leafy
vegetables
eggs
milk
meat
Vitamin E content (alphatocopherol) (mg/ 100 g food)
45.00
45.00
41.10
34.12
26.10
26.09
25.86
24.55
17.07
15.29
15.03
11.93
10.93
salt added
Nuts, pine nuts, dried
Snacks, potato chips, plain, unsalted
Peanuts, all types, dry-roasted, with salt
Tomato products, canned, paste, without salt added
Spinach, frozen, chopped or leaf, cooked, boiled,
drained, without salt
Dandelion greens, cooked, boiled, drained, without
salt
Turnip greens, frozen, cooked, boiled, drained,
without salt
Pie crust, standard-type, frozen, ready-to-bake,
baked
Pie crust, cookie-type, prepared from recipe,
graham cracker, baked
Tomato products, canned, sauce
Spinach, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt
Sauce, pasta, spaghetti/marinara, ready-to-serve
Tomato products, canned, puree, without salt added
Spinach, canned, drained solids
Turnip greens, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt
Crustaceans, crab, blue, canned
Beet greens, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt
Fast foods, french toast sticks
Peppers, sweet, red, cooked, boiled, drained,
without salt
Fast Foods, biscuit, with egg and sausage
Peppers, sweet, red, raw
Fish, rockfish, Pacific, mixed species, cooked, dry
heat
Broccoli, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt
Soy milk, fluid
Broccoli, frozen, chopped, cooked, boiled, drained,
without salt
Carrot juice, canned
Sweet potato, canned, syrup pack, drained solids
Mangos, raw
9.35
9.10
7.80
4.30
3.54
3.40
2.66
2.63
2.32
2.08
2.08
2.04
1.97
1.94
1.88
1.84
1.81
1.65
1.65
1.58
1.58
1.56
1.45
1.35
1.32
1.16
1.15
1.12
Pumpkin, canned, without salt
Sweet potato, canned, vacuum pack
Soup, tomato, canned, prepared with equal volume
water, commercial
Papayas, raw
1.06
1.00
0.95
0.73
source : http://www.dietaryfiberfood.com/Vitamin-E.php
The Dosage Tocopherol for Human
Food
Numerous foods provide vitamin E. Nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils are among the
best sources of alpha-tocopherol, and significant amounts are available in green
leafy vegetables and fortified cereals (see Table 2 for a more detailed list).
Most vitamin E in American diets is in the form of gamma-tocopherol from
soybean, canola, corn, and other vegetable oils and food products
Table 2: Selected Food Sources of Vitamin E (Alpha-Tocopherol)
Food milligrams (mg)
per servingPercent DV*
||
Wheat germ oil, 1 tablespoon
20.3 100
Almonds, dry roasted, 1 ounce
7.4
40
Sunflower seeds, dry roasted, 1 ounce 6.0
30
Sunflower oil, 1 tablespoon
5.6
28
Safflower oil, 1 tablespoon
4.6
25
Hazelnuts, dry roasted, 1 ounce
4.3
22
Peanut butter, 2 tablespoons
2.9
15
Peanuts, dry roasted, 1 ounce
2.2
11
Corn oil, 1 tablespoon
1.9
10
Spinach, boiled, ½ cup
1.9
10
Broccoli, chopped, boiled, ½ cup
1.2
6
Soybean oil, 1 tablespoon
1.1
6
Kiwi, 1 medium
1.1
6
Mango, sliced, ½ cup
0.9
5
Tomato, raw, 1 medium
0.8
4
Spinach, raw, 1 cup
0.6
4
*DV = Daily Value.
The DV for vitamin E is 30 IU (approximately 20 mg of natural alphatocopherol) for adults and children age 4 and older.
Foods providing 20% or more of the DV are considered to be high sources of
a nutrient, but foods providing lower percentages of the DV also contribute to a
healthful diet.
Dietary Supplements
Supplements of vitamin E typically provide only alpha-tocopherol, although
"mixed" products containing other tocopherols and even tocotrienols are available.
People need approximately 50% more IU of synthetic alpha tocopherol from
dietary supplements and fortified foods to obtain the same amount of the nutrient
as from the natural form.
Alpha-tocopherol in dietary supplements and fortified foods is often esterified to
prolong its shelf life while protecting its antioxidant properties.
The body hydrolyzes and absorbs these esters (alpha-tocopheryl acetate
and succinate) as efficiently as alpha-tocopherol.
source: http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamine/#en1