Comparison of different tests used in mapping the Greek virgin olive oil production for the determination of its total antioxidant capacity

• Main Authors: Katerina S. Minioti, Constantinos A. Georgiou
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas 2010-03-01
• Series: Grasas y Aceites
• Subjects: abts; dpph; folin-ciocalteu; olive oil; phenolic antioxidants; total antioxidant capacity
• Online Access: http://grasasyaceites.revistas.csic.es/index.php/grasasyaceites/article/view/619
• ISSN: 0017-3495; 1988-4214

This study aims to map the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of 50 Greek olive oil samples from the 2005-2006 season according to production region and cultivar and to compare the 2, 2’-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzo-thiazoline-6- sulfonic acid (ABTS), 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) and Folin-Ciocalteu tests for use with olive oil. Antioxidant capacities determined in the hydrophilic fraction range between 5.42 - 22.5 mM gallic acid Kg-1 olive oil for the ABTS method and 1.29 - 9.95 mM Kg-1 for the DPPH method while in total, olive oil TAC ranges between 77 - 177 mM Kg-1 as assessed by the DPPH method. The results of total phenol content range between 3.8 and 29.4 mM Kg-1 olive oil. Total phenol content correlates with total antioxidant capacity assessed in the hydrophilic fraction through the DPPH (r = 0.89) and the ABTS (r = 0.69) assays. The hydrophilic fraction DPPH values correlate significantly with the ABTS values (r = 0.81). However, the DPPH values for total olive oil correlate poorly with the ABTS assay, the Folin-Ciocalteu method and the DPPH assay in hydrophilic fraction. Although total phenolic content shows good correlation with ABTS and DPPH values and could serve as a useful indicator for olive oil antioxidant capacity, the use of a battery of tests contributes to better characterization of the antioxidant capacity of olive oil.