The antioxidant properties of lycopene concentrate extracted from tomato paste

Lycopene concentrate (LC) containing 50 wt% lycopene was extracted from tomato paste. The antioxidant properties of LC were evaluated by means of chemiluminescence in four models. The four models were superoxide anions generated from pyrogallol autoxidation, hydroxyl radicals from Fenton reaction, singlet oxygens from OH⁻−NaClO−H₂O₂, and lipid peroxidation from 2,2′-azobis(2-amidinopropane)dihydrochloride-induced γ-linolenic acid. LC was an effective scavenger toward superoxide anions, hydroxyl radicals, and singlet oxygens, and also it could effectively reduce lipid peroxidation. The 50% efficient concentrations (EC₅₀) toward superoxide anions, hydroxyl radicals, lipid peroxidation and singlet oxygen were 0.75, 0.05, 0.1, and 1 mg/mL, respectively. In addition, changes of antioxidant behaviors with time were investigated. The time requirements of LC for effectively scavenging superoxide anions, hydroxyl radicals, and inhibiting lipid peroxidation were not higher than 6, 6, and 18 s, respectively.