The hydrophilic and lipophilic contribution to total antioxidant activity

The ABTS/H2O2/HRP decoloration method permits the evaluation of the antioxi dant activity of complex food samples. This method, with slight modificatio ns, is capable of determining both hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidant p roperties, thus, it is possible estimate the antioxidant activity of both a ntioxidant types in the same sample. The method is easy, accurate and rapid to apply. Its application to three vegetable soups provided data on hydrop hilic and lipophilic antioxidant activity, and the values reflect the contr ibution of the particular antioxidants (ascorbic acid and carotenoids) to t he total antioxidant activity of the samples. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd . All rights reserved.