Quercetin enhances vitamin D₂ stability and mitigate the degradation influenced by elevated temperature and pH value

Vitamin D₂ (vit. D₂) is a nutraceutical essentially needed for good health. However, it is susceptible to oxygen and high temperature. The use of natural products such as bioflavonoids possessing anti-degradative effect of vit. D₂ degradation has not been described before. A combinational effect of vit. D₂ with quercetin showed a positive effect and inhibited vit. D₂ degradation when exposed to high temperature (50 ℃ and 75 ℃) at different time points. The results obtained revealed vit. D₂ degradation was drastically increased with longer incubation under thermal treatment. However, quercetin and vit. D₂ groups were able to significantly inhibit the degradation of vit. D₂ and stabilize it, evaluated through the retention percentage. We also exposed vit. D₂ at solutions with different pH values (1, 4, 5, 7, 10). Quercetin exerted vit. D₂ anti-degradation at different pH values as well as under thermal pressure at different time points. Conclusively, quercetin can be an effective way to reduce temperature and pH induced degradation of vit. D₂.