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The impact of cooking and digestion on the antioxidant capacity and polyphenol content of common culinary spices

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 October 2011

I. Baker ,
M. Chohan  and
E. I. Opara
I. Baker
Affiliation:
School of Life Sciences, Kingston University, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 2EE, UK
M. Chohan
Affiliation:
School of Life Sciences, Kingston University, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 2EE, UK
E. I. Opara
Affiliation:
School of Life Sciences, Kingston University, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 2EE, UK
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Abstract

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Abstract
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Proceedings of the Nutrition Society , Volume 70 , Issue OCE4: Summer Meeting, 4–6 July 2011, 70th Anniversary: From plough through practice to policy , 2011 , E137
Copyright
Copyright © The Authors 2011

Polyphenols are ubiquitous phytochemicals present in plants and plant derived foods such as spices and their antioxidant properties have been linked to their postulated health benefits(Reference Manach, Scalbert and Morand1). Spices are often subjected to both cooking (C) and digestion (D), however, there is little if any data on the impact of these factors on their polyphenolic antioxidant activity. Thus, the extent to which these processes impact the antioxidant capacity (AC) and total phenolic content (TPC) of spices were examined in the present study.

Aqueous control samples and cooked samples of spices (1 g cinnamon, 1 g nutmeg or 0.1 g clove) were prepared, with cooked samples further subjected to in vitro digestion(Reference Garret, Failla and Sarama2). The ABTS+• decolourisation assay(Reference Re, Pellegrini and Proteggente3) was used to analyse the AC of each sample and expressed as TEAC μmol/g. TPC was determined using Folin–Ciocalteau reagents(Reference Stoilova, Krastanov and Denev4) and was expressed as GAE (mg/g).

Cooking alone did not have a significant impact on the AC of cinnamon, but did increase TPC to a significant (P<0.05) level. The AC of clove was significantly lowered (P<0.05) by C but was significantly increased (P<0.05) following C and D. In nutmeg, C significantly increased (P<0.05) AC, but had no significant impact on TPC. C and D had no significant impact on either the AC or TPC of cinnamon, yet in nutmeg both variables were significantly increased (P<0.05). The TPC and the AC of clove were significantly higher (P<0.05) following C and D.

Mean values were significantly different from uncooked samples (ANOVA, followed by Tukey's test): *P<0.05. Mean values were significantly different from cooked samples (ANOVA, followed by Tukey's test): †P<0.05.

In conclusion, although cooking, and cooking followed by digestion, affected TPC and/or AC this effect was not consistent for the spices investigated and thus no clear relationship emerged. Further work on the impact of these factors on other biological properties of culinary spices is under way.

References

1.Manach, C, Scalbert, A, Morand, C et al. (2004) Am J Clin Nutr 79, 727–747.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
2.Garret, DA, Failla, ML & Sarama, RJ (1999) J Agric Food Chem 47, 4301–4309.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
3.Re, R, Pellegrini, N, Proteggente, A et al. (1999) Free Radic Biol and Med 26, 1231–1237.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
4.Stoilova, I, Krastanov, A, Denev, P et al. (2007) Food Chem 102, 764–770.CrossRefGoogle Scholar