Ethanolic extract of Duea ching (Ficus botryocarpa Miq.) fruit: Antioxidant activity and enhancement of physical property and oxidative stability of Asian seabass oil-in water emulsion.

This study hypothesized that polyphenol-rich Duea Ching fruit extract (DCE) could enhance the oxidative and physical stabilities of oil-in-water emulsions. Antioxidant potential of ethanolic DCE was examined and the quality of Asian seabass oil-in-water emulsions incorporated with DCE at 1 % and 3 % was determined during 24 days. DCE using 60 % ethanol as extracting medium was rich in polyphenols. (±)-catechin and procyanidin B2 were dominant when analyzed via LC/MS with negative and positive ion modes. It showed DPPH, ABTS, peroxyl radical and H₂O₂ scavenging, along with ORAC and MCA. Emulsions containing 3 % DCE demonstrated improved stability, with smaller droplet size, and lower flocculation and coalescence index than the control. Lipid oxidation was significantly reduced (P < 0.05), as confirmed by FTIR. Additionally, the 3 % DCE emulsion retained more polyunsaturated fatty acids and showed lower formation of hexanal and 2,4-heptadienal during storage. Thus, DCE could be promising antioxidant in emulsion.