THE CONTRIBUTION OF PLANT FOOD ANTIOXIDANTS TO HUMAN HEALTH

We have been actively involved in the isolation and characterization o f endogenous plant antioxidants that are believed to inhibit lipid per oxidation and offer protection against oxidative damage to membrane fu nctions. Antioxidants have been isolated from conventional food source s, such as tea (green and black), sesame and wild rice, and also from other plant sources, such as rice hulls, and crude plant drugs. Data o n new types of water-soluble and lipid-soluble plant antioxidants are provided, and the biological activity and functionality of these anti oxidants are discussed.