Malondialdehyde

Malondialdehyde (MDA), synonym malonaldehyde, is a three-carbon dialdehyde formed during the oxidative breakdown of polyunsaturated fatty acids — a secondary product of lipid peroxidation and a marker of oxidative stress in foods and biological systems. It is the principal analyte of the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) assay, the most widely used chemical measure of lipid oxidation and rancidity in edible oils, meats, fish and fried foods: MDA condenses with thiobarbituric acid to a pink complex quantified spectrophotometrically. Elevated TBARS values correlate with off-flavours, colour loss and nutritional degradation; processors suppress MDA formation through antioxidants (tocopherols, rosemary extract), oxygen-barrier packaging, cold storage and careful control of frying-oil turnover.