MDCM is highly susceptible to rancidity due to the large area in contact with oxygen and obtention manner, displaying high levels of fat, lipids and calcium in its composition. Antioxidants are widely used to retard or inhibit lipid oxidation in foods. The antioxidants’ mecha- nisms of action happen when competitively binding to oxygen, slowing the initiation step, interrupting the pro- pagation step by destroying or binding the free radicals, inhibiting the catalyzers or stabilizing the hydroperoxides. Antioxidants should not be toxic, display high activity at low concentrations, should concentrate on the surface of the food grease phase, should withstand food processing, and also contribute to the stability of the final product [21].
The pH values obtained showed no difference among the treatments under study—however a reduction was found when compared with the values obtained after the 3rd day, possibly due to the product’s increased acidity after 5th day since acidity corresponds to the base quan- tity (in mg) (KOH or NaOH) required to neutralize the free fatty acids in 1 g of fat present in the MDCM. The use of sodium erythorbate and ascorbic acid antioxidants, in the levels studied, was effective in inhibiting the for- mation of peroxides in MDCM until the 5th day under refrigeration. In a study of turkey MDM, it was found that the antioxidants studied, for 7 months under freezing conditions, were less effective in this order; ascorbic acid, Vitamin C in aqueous solution, synthetic vitamin E, and the antioxidant with the highest efficiency over time was rosemary extract [22]. The use of casein-derived bioac- tive peptides in MDCM was also a natural antioxidant alternative [23]. Hassan and Fan [24] compared the syn- thetic antioxidants BHA and BHT with cocoa leaf-deri- ved polyphenols, which were less effective, though very similar to the oxidation of MDCM.