Enhancing the Multifunctional Qualities of Palm Oil With Plant-Derived Essential Oils: An Integrated HPLC and RSM...

The major goal of this research was to develop a suitable model-based optimization strategy that will preserve the bioengineering properties of palm oil by optimizing natural essential oils-precisely, turmeric oil (TUO), ginger oil (GO), and banana peel oil (BPO). The palm oil was blended by using a well-structured experimental design based on optimal mixture and response surface methodology. All the oil samples were heated to 200°C for 150 min, and the antioxidant effect of the treatments on the thermal degradation of the samples was determined in accordance with standard procedures. The results revealed that the kinematic viscosity, flash point, carotenoids, and tocopherols of the fresh palm oil were 32.05 mm²/s, 319.74°C, 751.67 mg/kg, and 871.00 mg/kg, respectively. However, the extended exposure to high temperature caused the iodine value, kinematic viscosity, carotenoids, tocopherols, oxidative stability index, and breakdown voltage of untreated palm oil to decrease by 52.37%, 63.34%, 41.11%, 94.26%, 76.98%, and 65.23%, respectively. Also, based on the Combined I-optimal mixture and response surface experimental design results, the treatments substantially inhibited the degradation of the PO, thereby preserving its quality. The anti-thermal degradation ability of the EOs was further confirmed by the treated oil's BDV values, spectra, and DPPH values. After heating, the unfortified PO sample exhibited the maximum O-H and peak values of 3400 cm^-1 and 1710-1720 cm^-1, respectively; while the blended PO showed the minimum peak value of 2920 cm^-1. Remarkably, the model developed in this study was able to predict the effectiveness of these treatments in improving the PO quality, as well as stabilizing these attributes in the presence of extended high temperatures. The model validation revealed that the PO samples blended with high concentrations of TUO yielded the optimal results, with consistent high retention levels of breakdown voltage, carotenoids, oxidative stability index, and tocopherols, as well as lower values of the free fatty acids and peroxides. Specifically, the hybridization results showed that the ranking of thermal stability effectiveness of the essential oils trailed this pattern: TUO> GO > BPO. Finally, the outcomes of this study will provide a scientific foundation for utilizing plant-based essential oil to achieve more thermally stable vegetable oils, with enhanced dietary, engineering, and pharmaceutical applications.