Phenolic extracts of cachaça aged in different woods and quantifying antioxidant activity and antifungal properties

The antioxidant and antifungal activities of the phenolic compounds in different alcoholic extracts of aged cachaça were evaluated. The physico‐chemical analyses were performed in the Laboratório de Qualidade de Aguardente of the Universidade Federal de Lavras according to the methods of the Ministério Agricultura Pecuária e abastecimento. Total phenol content was determined by the Folin–Ciocalteu method, quantification of these compounds was performed by HPLC and antioxidant activities were determined by methods involving inhibition of the DPPH (1,1‐diphenyl‐2 picrylhydrazyl) radical, the β‐carotene/linoleic acid system, ABTS (2,2 azinobis‐3‐ethyl‐6‐benzothiazolinesulfonic acid]) radical, reducing power and thiobarbituric acid. Determination of antifungal activity was accomplished through the technique of dissemination in discs using Aspergillus carbonarius, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Penicillium commune and Penicillium cladosporoides fungi at the Laboratório de Micologia de Alimentos. The values obtained for the phenolic compounds ranged from 0.41 to 9.69 mg L^?1; syringaldehyde, vanillic acid and gallic acid were predominant. A satisfactory antioxidant activity was observed in all of the tests with the alcoholic extracts. A moderate activity against P. commune and P. cladosporoides, but no inhibition of the growth of A. carbonarius, A. niger or A. flavus was observed. Copyright © 2016 The Institute of Brewing & Distilling