title: Study Approach of Antioxidant Properties in Foods: Update and Considerations.
abstract: The assessment of interactions between natural antioxidants and other food matrix components represents the main step in the investigation of total antioxidant properties, in terms of potential health benefits. The diversity of chemical structures of natural compounds, besides their possible interactions, as well as the biological role and different modes of action makes it difficult to assess a single and reliable procedure for the evaluation of antioxidant activity. Today, much attention is given to the distinction between extractable and non-extractable antioxidants as a key tool in the description of the nutritional and healthy properties of food matrices. The starting point for the investigation of antioxidant effects of food extracts is the analysis of antioxidant properties of pure compounds and their interactions. Another complementary approach could be represented by the study of how different biologically active compound-rich extracts contribute to the total antioxidant capacity.
authors.affiliation: Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l'analisi dell'economia agraria, Centro di Ricerca CREA-Alimenti e Nutrizione, Via Ardeatina 546, 00178 Roma, Italy. alessandra.durazzo@crea.gov.it.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Durazzo
keywords: antioxidant properties; biologically active fractions; extractable compounds; non-extractable compounds; pure compounds; study approach