Autoxidation is any oxidation that occurs in open air or in presence of oxygen and/or UV radiation and forms peroxides andhydroperoxides. A classic example of autoxidation is that of simple ethers like diethyl ether, whose peroxides can be dangerously explosive. It can be considered to be a slow, flameless combustion of materials by reaction with oxygen. Autoxidation is important because it is a useful reaction for converting compounds to oxygenated derivatives, and also because it occurs in situations where it is not desired (as in the destructive cracking of the rubber in automobile tires).It well known that fats become rancid, even when kept at low temperatures. This is especially true for polyunsaturated fats


The complex mixture of compounds found in wine, including polyphenols, polysaccharides, and proteins, can undergo autoxidation during the ageing process. Simple polyphenols can lead to the formation of B-type procyanidins in wines or in model solutions This is correlated to the browning color change characteristic of this process.
This phenomenon is also observed in carrot puree