Antioxidant Activity of Piceatannol in Canola Oil

Piceatannol has shown to be a strong antioxidant in vivo, however, its ability to suppress lipid oxidation in foods has not been examined. The present study is to examine the antioxidant effect of piceatannol on heated canola oil compared with that of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). The oxidation of canola oil is conducted at 60, 90, 120, and 150 °C by monitoring the depletion of oxygen, the decrease in unsaturated fatty acids, and the changes of primary and secondary oxidation products. Results demonstrated that piceatannol can suppress lipid oxidation of canola oil in a dose-dependent manner with its effect being more effective than BHT. Practical Applications: Lipid oxidation is a major factor in the deterioration of food quality. Synthetic antioxidants, such as BHT and butylated hydroxyanisole, are used to inhibit oxidation in foods, but their safety has been always concerned. Piceatannol has exhibited a strong antioxidant activity to attenuate lipid oxidation and it should be further explored for use as a natural antioxidant in foods.     

The Plants of the Asteraceae Family as Agents in the Protection of Human Health

The Asteraceae family is one of the largest flowering plant families, with over 1600 genera and 2500 species worldwide. Some of its most well-known taxa are lettuce, chicory, artichoke, daisy and dandelion. The members of the Asteraceae have been used in the diet and for medicine for centuries. Despite their wide diversity, most family members share a similar chemical composition: for example, all species are good sources of inulin, a natural polysaccharide with strong prebiotic properties. They also demonstrate strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activity, as well as diuretic and wound healing properties. Their pharmacological effects can be attributed to their range of phytochemical compounds, including polyphenols, phenolic acids, flavonoids, acetylenes and triterpenes. One such example is arctiin: a ligand with numerous antioxidant, antiproliferative and desmutagenic activities. The family is also a source of sesquiterpene lactones: the secondary metabolites responsible for the bitter taste of many plants. This mini review examines the current state of literature regarding the positive effect of the Asteraceae family on human health.     

橡木桶陈酿对红葡萄酒抗氧化性的影响

采用2,2'-联氮-双-3-乙基苯并噻唑啉-6-磺酸（ABTS）方法动态监测经橡木桶陈酿和未经橡木桶陈酿的红葡萄酒的反应过程，比较在测定其抗氧化活性的反应条件上的差异，从而确定适合检测的最佳反应条件，并分析橡木桶陈酿对红葡萄酒中酚类物质含量和抗氧化活性的影响。结果表明，ABTS方法测定经橡木桶陈酿的红葡萄酒抗氧化活性的最佳反应时间范围是240～280 min，最佳稀释比例范围为1∶100～2∶100，未经橡木桶陈酿的最佳反应时间范围是220～260 min，最佳稀释比例范围是3∶100～4∶100，此条件下各因素与自由基清除率的线性关系R2均＞0.999。试验证明，采用合适的检测方法测定不同陈酿方式酒的抗氧化活性有利于提高检测效率和准确性，经橡木桶陈酿过的红葡萄酒中的酚类物质含量和抗氧化活性更高。     

榨前微波处理对油茶粕活性成分及抗氧化性的影响

通过不同微波功率和时间辐射油茶籽,测定油茶粕中茶皂素、蛋白质、粗多糖、总酚、糠氨酸含量以及DPPH自由基清除能力的变化规律,研究榨前微波处理对油茶粕活性成分及抗氧化性的影响。结果表明:随微波加热时间延长,低功率(245、420 W)微波处理油茶籽后,油茶粕中茶皂素含量稍有上升,随后下降;较高功率(560、700 W)微波处理后,茶皂素含量呈上升趋势;微波处理对油茶粕中蛋白质含量影响不大;微波处理后油茶粕中粗多糖含量整体呈下降趋势,但420、560、700 W处理20、5、10 min后含量分别比初始升高66.9%、79.6%和116.0%;微波处理后油茶粕中总酚含量呈先降低后升高再降低的趋势,且微波功率越高,总酚含量越高;微波功率较低(245 W)时,糠氨酸含量先降低后略有升高,微波功率较高(420、560、700 W)时,糠氨酸含量先升高后降低。245 W和700 W微波功率处理时油茶粕对DPPH自由基清除率先升高后降低,560 W时呈整体上升趋势,420 W呈波动状态。     

Migration analysis,antioxidant, and mechanical characterization of polypropylene-based active food packaging films loaded with BHA,BHT, and TBHQ

Polypropylene (PP) based active composite films were prepared by adding butylated hydroxy anisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), and tertiary butylated hydroquinone (TBHQ) antioxidants using the extrusion molding process. All concentrations of BHT, 2% to 3% BHA, and 3% TBHQ significantly increased the tensile strength (TS) of the composite films compared with control films. Increasing antioxidant concentration decreased TS values for BHT films, whereas an opposite trend was observed for BHA and TBHQ films. BHA at < 2%, BHT at > 2%, and TBHQ at all added concentrations significantly reduced elongation at break (E_b) of the composite films compared to control films. Water vapor permeability (WVP) of 1% BHT film was not significantly different from control. However, other antioxidants especially at increased concentrations significantly increased WVP values. TBHQ films with 300% to 662% increase had the highest WVP and BHT films with 5% to 81% increase had the lowest WVP among composite films. All three antioxidants had a negative effect on the transparency of the films; however the effect of BHA at higher concentrations was greater. The antioxidants did not change the color attributes of the films. Films containing all antioxidants showed 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical-scavenging activity, which increased with increase in their concentration, especially for those containing 3 wt.% BHT and TBHQ. Overall, incorporating BHA and BHT into a PP matrix improved mechanical, barrier, antioxidant properties, and film appearance and consequently were proposed for the development of antioxidant active PP films. TBHQ film is not recommended for food packaging because of its weak mechanical properties (lower E_b and TS values, higher WVP, and greater migration).