The role of antioxidants in food safety and preservation: mechanisms, applications, and challenges

There is growing interest in enhancing food products with extended shelf life and improved sensory qualities through the addition of natural or synthetic antioxidants. Natural antioxidants, and synthetic antioxidants like tertiary butylhydroquinone (TBHQ), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), and propyl gallate (PG) have been applied in the food preservation. This review examined the mechanisms of antioxidant actions in food preservation including free radical scavenging, singlet oxygen quenching, metal chelation and lipoxygenase inactivation. A structured search was employed using recognized scientific databases such as PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science, complemented by selective use of open-access repositories. Keywords, including antioxidants, free radicals, food preservatives and oxidative stress guided the retrieval of relevant studies. After careful screening and evaluation, literature addressing both mechanistic insights and practical applications was synthesized. Fruits, vegetables, meat, and processed foods have been preserved either by direct antioxidant addition or by incorporating antioxidants into packaging materials. However, concerns persist regarding the safety of synthethic antioxidants due to potential adverse health effects. This review emphasizes the scientific and practical significance of antixidants in food safety and preservation, highlighting their role in preventing oxidative deterioration and supporting the development of safer, healthier and more sustainable food products.