title: Antioxidant evaluation in dessert spices compared with common food additives. Influence of irradiation procedure.
abstract: The antioxidant properties of seven dessert spices (anise, cinnamon, ginger, licorice, mint, nutmeg, and vanilla) were compared with those of the common food antioxidants butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) (E-320), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) (E-321), and propyl gallate (E-310). The influence of irradiation process on antioxidant activity was also evaluated. Mint and cinnamon exhibited a higher percentage of inhibition of oxidation than the other spices analyzed and the food antioxidants, as tested by the lipid peroxidation assay (LOO*). Nutmeg, anise, and licorice showed the strongest protection in the deoxyribose assay (OH*). Vanilla exhibited the highest antioxidant activity in the peroxidase-based assay (H2O2). Nutmeg, propyl gallate, ginger, and licorice improved the stability of oils (sunflower, corn, and olive) and fats (butter and margarine) against oxidation (110 degrees C Rancimat). Cinnamon was a better superoxide radical scavenger than the other analyzed spices and additives. When the Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) assay was used to provide a ranking order of antioxidant activity, the result in decreasing order of antioxidant capacity was cinnamon approximately equal to propyl gallate > mint > anise > BHA > licorice approximately equal to vanilla > ginger > nutmeg > BHT. Irradiated samples did not show significant differences (p < 0.05) in the antioxidant activity with respect to the non-irradiated samples (1, 3, 5, and 10 kGy) in the assays used.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science, Veterinary Faculty, Campus de Espinardo, University of Murcia, Apartado de Correos 4021, E-30008 Murcia, Spain. mamurcia@um.es
authors.forename: M Antonia
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Murcia
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Egea
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Romojaro
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Parras
authors.forename: Antonia M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Jiménez
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martínez-Tomé
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis*; D002935:Cinnamomum zeylanicum / Q000737:chemistry; D005503:Food Additives / Q000737:chemistry*; D005514:Food Irradiation; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000737:chemistry; D017665:Hydroxyl Radical / Q000737:chemistry; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D027541:Mentha / Q000737:chemistry; D011435:Propyl Gallate / Q000737:chemistry; D017365:Spices / Q000032:analysis*; D013481:Superoxides / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D005503:Food Additives; D013481:Superoxides; D017665:Hydroxyl Radical; D011435:Propyl Gallate; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide