Hello everyone,
Im concerned about the bioactive properties of different natural powder extracts (botanicals and mainly rich in antioxidants) in a very alkaline environment, specifically during the saponification reaction in a cold process? The exposure will destroy or just lows the antioxidant properties? What happens with the vitamins?
The alkaline environment during saponification in a cold process may affect the bioactive properties of natural powder extracts. Some antioxidants and vitamins may be sensitive to high pH levels, potentially leading to a reduction in their effectiveness. It's advisable to consider the specific botanicals and their chemical compositions to better understand how they might respond to alkaline conditions. Additionally, adjusting formulations or incorporating antioxidants post-saponification could help preserve their beneficial properties.
Thank you Miloud Chakit for your answer. Thats a great advise, Im going to evaluate the response of each botanical extract separately.
During the saponification process, the bioactive properties of antioxidants and vitamins found in natural powder extracts may be negatively impacted by the alkaline environment. The degree of impact is dependent on the specific compounds present, their concentration, and the process conditions such as pH and temperature.
Chemical Degradation: Alkaline conditions may cause the deprotonation of acidic groups in antioxidants, which can lead to structural changes that reduce antioxidant efficacy.
Additionally, alkaline environments can facilitate oxidation reactions, further degrading antioxidants.
Temperature Influence: The temperature sensitivity of many antioxidants can compound these effects, especially due to the exothermic nature of saponification.
Vitamin Stability: Vitamins, particularly water-soluble ones like vitamin C (ascorbic acid), are known to be sensitive to pH, light, and temperature. In an alkaline setting, ascorbic acid can rapidly degrade, losing its antioxidant properties.
Fat-Soluble Vitamins: Vitamins A, D, E, and K are more stable in fat-rich environments but can still be affected by high pH and temperature. Vitamin E (tocopherol), known for its antioxidant properties, may also degrade under alkaline conditions.
Thank you Phil Käding for your detailed explanation. I was able to link all the concepts.
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