Effect of domestic cooking methods on the total antioxidant capacity of vegetables.
As well as tables of food composition, total antioxidant capacity (TAC) databases--developed in past years for investigating health effects of antioxidant-rich foods in epidemiological and nutritional studies--have been created on the basis of analytical data from raw plant material. However, most vegetables are commonly cooked before consumption. With the aim of completing a previously developed TAC database, the effect of the major domestic practices (i.e. boiling, pan-frying and deep-frying) on the TAC of commonly consumed cooked vegetables was evaluated. Based on dry weight, boiling generally resulted in positive TAC changes whereas a general negative effect on the TAC was observed in pan-fried vegetables. Deep-frying produced a TAC increase of potato, artichoke and aubergine but a TAC reduction of mushroom and onion. The present study clearly indicates that cooking is not always a detrimental process when the TAC is used as an index to evaluate the nutritional characteristics of vegetables.
Pellegrini
Nicoletta
N
Department of Public Health, University of Parma, Italy. nicoletta.pellegrini@unipr.it
Miglio
Cristiana
C
Del Rio
Daniele
D
Salvatore
Sara
S
Serafini
Mauro
M
Brighenti
Furio
F
D000363:Agaricales / Q000737:chemistry; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis*; D003296:Cooking / Q000379:methods*; D031943:Cynara scolymus / Q000737:chemistry; D016208:Databases, Factual; D006358:Hot Temperature; D009753:Nutritive Value; D019697:Onions / Q000737:chemistry; D032323:Solanum melongena / Q000737:chemistry; D011198:Solanum tuberosum / Q000737:chemistry; D014675:Vegetables / Q000737:chemistry*
D000975:Antioxidants