Antioxidant activity of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) extracts on natural olive and sesame oils

The antioxidant activities of chloroform and methanol extracts of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) were tested in natural olive and sesame oils stored at 55 °C, by measuring peroxide values after regular intervals. The concentrations of extracts and citric acid had been used as 1% and 2%. The extracts (except for 12, 16 and 20 days in storage of olive oil) exhibited high antioxidant activity compared with control sample in olive and sesame oil. Antioxidant effects of both extracts and citric acid levels in olive oil showed statistically different after from 4 days of storage (p<0.01). The most effective concentration on sesame oil during storage had 2% chloroform extract. Furthermore, especially 2% concentrations of both solvent extracts of rosemary shown significantly antioxidative activity in compared with citric acid on sesame oil.