Cholesterol Oxidation Products in Food Systems
Summary
Cholesterol oxidation products (COPs) arise when the sterol nucleus of cholesterol undergoes chemical transformation through exposure to heat, light, metal ions or enzymatic processes. COPs include 7α-hydroxycholesterol, 7β-hydroxycholesterol, 7-ketocholesterol, epoxycholesterols and triols. They form during industrial processing such as frying, spray-drying or high-temperature storage, as well as through physiological enzymatic pathways. COPs may accumulate in animal-derived foods including milk, eggs, meat and dairy products, leading to potential cytotoxic, pro-oxidant and atherogenic effects in humans. Analytical advances combining chromatographic separation with mass spectrometry now enable sensitive quantification of individual oxysterols at trace levels, facilitating monitoring of food quality and safety. Globally, COPs serve as markers of ingredient freshness, processing efficiency and shelf-life stability. Mitigation strategies encompass antioxidant addition, controlled-atmosphere packaging and optimisation of thermal treatments. A comprehensive understanding of COP occurrence, formation mechanisms and mitigation is vital for the development of healthier food systems and informed dietary guidelines.
Research from Nature Portfolio
Recent studies have characterised the evolution of COPs in powdered food matrices during extended storage, revealing distinct oxidation kinetics across milk, egg and composite powders. Quantitative analysis demonstrated that non-enzymatic oxysterols such as 7α-hydroxycholesterol and 7-ketocholesterol progressively accumulate over a two-year period, with levels in non-sealed formulations reaching thresholds associated with in vitro cytotoxicity. Comparative profiling indicated that mixed milk–egg powders exhibit slower oxidation rates than single-ingredient counterparts, highlighting the influence of matrix composition on COP stability. These findings underscore the value of COPs as robust biomarkers for monitoring long-term quality and safety in dehydrated food products and inform targeted packaging and formulation strategies to limit sterol autoxidation.
Cholesterol Oxidation Products in Food Systems publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in cholesterol oxidation products in food systems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Cholesterol oxidation products (COPs): Sterol derivatives formed by chemical or enzymatic oxidation of cholesterol that may exhibit cytotoxic or pro-oxidant activities.
Oxysterols: A subclass of COPs comprising oxygenated cholesterol derivatives found in foods and biological systems.
Non-enzymatic oxidation: Chemical autoxidation of cholesterol induced by heat, light or oxidising agents.
Enzymatic oxidation: Biological transformation of cholesterol through specific enzymes yielding oxysterols with regulatory roles.
GC-TOF/MS: Gas chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry, an analytical technique for sensitive separation and detection of sterols and their oxidation products.
References
- A Novel Method for the Determination of Squalene, Cholesterol and Their Oxidation Products in Food of Animal Origin by GC-TOF/MS. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2024).
- Oxysterols as Reliable Markers of Quality and Safety in Cholesterol Containing Food Ingredients and Products. Frontiers in Nutrition (2022).
- Cholesterol oxidation: Health hazard and the role of antioxidants in prevention. Biological Research (2003).
- Effect of industrial processing and storage procedures on oxysterols in milk and milk products. Food & Function (2021).
- Oxysterols in stored powders as potential health hazards. Scientific Reports (2021).
- Cholesterol and Its Oxidation Derivatives Content in Market Dairy Products. Nutrients (2024).
- Effect of packaging in preventing cholesterol autoxidation in milk chocolates for a higher quality and safer shelf-life. PLOS ONE (2023).
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