Comprehensive Utilization of Red Fruit (Pandanus conoideus Lam.) Oil as Antioxidants: Food Application and Health Benefits

Oxidative stress has been commonly associated with numerous diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer and so forth. As a protective measure against oxidative stress, antioxidants can be utilized as one of the schemes due to their ability to neutralize free reactive oxygen (ROS). However, synthetic antioxidants have been considered to have many safety issues over time. As such, there has been a growing trend towards using natural antioxidants due to their low toxicity and health benefits. One of the prominent natural sources of antioxidants is red fruit oil. Red fruit oil (Pandanus conoideus Lam) contains essential vitamins and minerals as well as high amounts of antioxidants, with ɑ-tocopherol being the most present. Besides the components mentioned, red fruit oil also includes a variety of fatty acids, a majority being oleic acid and other unsaturated fatty acids such as linoleic acid and alpha-linoleic acid. With a vast amount of antioxidants, red fruit oil can improve the shelf life of food products and offer a wide range of health benefits. Nevertheless, many limitations can be observed, such as its underutilization, which leads to a lack of research in specific areas. As such, this paper discusses the current study of red fruit oil, its health benefits, and its application in the food industry, as well as presents potential future research that can be conducted.