How to keep flaxseed oil from going bad
Oxidative stability of flaxseed oil: effects of tocopherols, phytosterols and extraction conditions.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
High α-tocopherol levels caused a transient pro-oxidant effect at low temperatures.
Everyone assumes vitamin E is always an antioxidant—this shows it can actively speed up spoilage in cold conditions, contradicting common supplement advice.
Practical Takeaways
If you buy flaxseed oil, check the label for γ-tocopherol and phytosterol content—and store it in a warm pantry, not the fridge, if it’s high in α-tocopherol.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
High α-tocopherol levels caused a transient pro-oxidant effect at low temperatures.
Everyone assumes vitamin E is always an antioxidant—this shows it can actively speed up spoilage in cold conditions, contradicting common supplement advice.
Practical Takeaways
If you buy flaxseed oil, check the label for γ-tocopherol and phytosterol content—and store it in a warm pantry, not the fridge, if it’s high in α-tocopherol.
Publication
Journal
Food chemistry
Year
2025
Authors
Luciana Vera-Candioti, Emilse Negro, S. Mancini, Claudio Bernal
Related Content
Claims (6)
Isolation of lipids from whole foods removes endogenous antioxidants and structural matrices, increasing susceptibility to oxidative degradation.
Adding too much of one type of vitamin E (α-tocopherol) to flaxseed oil can make it go bad faster when it's cool, but helps protect it when it's warm — because another type of vitamin E (γ-tocopherol) lasts longer and keeps working.
When you add both vitamin E and plant sterols to flaxseed oil together, they work better than either one alone to keep the oil from going rancid — this combo could help make healthier oils that last longer.
In flaxseed oil, a natural compound called γ-tocopherol stops oil from going bad by mopping up harmful molecules, and other natural compounds in the oil help keep γ-tocopherol working longer.
Plant sterols — natural compounds in flaxseed — help keep the oil from going bad by stopping the chain reaction that causes rancidity and calming down unstable molecules in the oil.