| Abstract: | The antioxidant activities of representative flavonoid classes (flavonols, flavones, flavanones, isoflavones and flavanols) relative to dl‐α‐tocopherol were evaluated using the Oxidative Stability Index (OSI) value. At 5 mM concentrations in tocopherol stripped corn oil (TSCO), antioxidant activity was determined as follows: (+) catechin > quercetin > (+,?) taxifolin > dl‐α‐tocopherol > THI (3′, 4′, 7‐trihydroxyisoflavone) > luteolin. Intra‐assay and inter‐assay coefficients of variation were 1.43% and 2.73%. Peroxide Induction (PI) values were utilizéd as a comparison method using compounds and conditions identical to those in OSI experiments. Relative values for OSI and PI of the flavonoids tested showed a 0.98 correlation. This method also revealed differences in antioxidant activity of catechins due to stereochemistry. The OSI offers a simple, reproducible method for the evaluation of flavonoid antioxidant activities in a lipid environment. |
