Sattar Bahmaninia - Department of Food Hygiene and Quality Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahrekord University, Shahrekord, Iran
Maryam Abbasvali - Department of Food Hygiene and Quality Control, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Seyed Shahram Shekarforoush - Department of Hygiene and Food Quality Control, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran

Background: Approximately ۹۰% of the fatty acids in sunflower oil are unsaturated. This study evaluated the antioxidant activity of leaf methanol extract of four Iranian olive cultivars on the oxidative stability of sunflower oil.Methods: Leaf methanolic extracts of four Iranian olive cultivars (Zard, Roghani, Shiraz, and Dezfool) were prepared by microwave extraction method. Total phenolic content, diphenyl-۱-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, and reducing power of the extracts were determined. Peroxide and anisidine values of sunflower oil treated with the extracts were measured during ۳۰ days of storage at ۶۰°C.Results: The concentration of methanolic extract of the Roghani cultivar (۴۶.۲۷±۲.۷۶ μg/mL) required to scavenge ۵۰% of the initial DPPH radicals (IC۵۰) showed a significant difference (p<۰.۰۵) with the IC۵۰ of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) (۱۱۲.۹۰±۱۴.۸۱ μg/mL), meaning that the percent inhibition of the DPPH radical of the methanol extract of the Roghani cultivar was higher than that of BHT (p<۰.۰۵). During the ۳۰ days storage period, sunflower oil samples without antioxidants showed significantly higher anisidine and peroxide values than samples treated with olive leaf extracts (p<۰.۰۵). In all treated samples, as the concentration of the extracts increased, peroxide and anisidine values significantly decreased (p<۰.۰۵).Conclusion: This study showed that the methanolic extracts of olive leaves had the ability to limit the oxidation of lipids and can be considered as a potential antioxidant source of natural origin. The methanolic extract of Roghani cultivar had the highest effect on the oxidative stability of sunflower oil.

Antioxidant, Olive cultivars, Oxidative stability, Sunflower oil, Iran