Antioxidant Capacity Assessment in Food and Biological Systems

Antioxidant capacity assessment encompasses a suite of analytical approaches designed to quantify the ability of food matrices or biological samples to neutralise reactive oxygen species and free radicals. Such evaluations address both electron-transfer and hydrogen-atom-transfer mechanisms, reflecting the diverse chemical pathways by which antioxidants exert their protective effects. In food systems, these methods inform quality control, shelf-life prediction and the optimisation of functional ingredients, while in biological contexts they serve as proxies for oxidative stress and disease risk. Common assays—ranging from spectrophotometric tests that monitor chromogenic redox reactions to electrochemical and fluorometric techniques—each present unique advantages and limitations in sensitivity, selectivity, throughput and physiological relevance. Standardisation of reaction conditions, calibration against reference compounds and the integration of complementary assays have emerged as critical strategies to enhance reproducibility and comparability across laboratories. Recent advances in high-throughput screening and in vivo–in vitro correlation further bridge the gap between chemical capacity measurements and actual biological efficacy. Together, these developments are driving a more nuanced understanding of how dietary antioxidants and endogenous defence systems interact to modulate oxidative processes in food science, nutrition and clinical research.

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Antioxidant Capacity Assessment in Food and Biological Systems publication trend

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Technical terms

Antioxidant capacity: A quantitative measure of a sample’s ability to neutralise oxidants or inhibit oxidative processes under defined assay conditions.

Free radical scavenging: The process by which antioxidants donate electrons or hydrogen atoms to reactive radicals, rendering them less harmful.

Electron-transfer (ET) assays: Analytical methods that assess antioxidant potential by monitoring the transfer of electrons from an antioxidant to a chromogenic oxidant species.

Hydrogen-atom-transfer (HAT) assays: Tests that evaluate antioxidant activity by measuring the ability to donate hydrogen atoms to radical initiators in competitive reaction kinetics.

DPPH assay: A widely used spectrophotometric test based on the reduction of the purple DPPH radical to a colourless product upon reaction with antioxidants.

Oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC): An assay quantifying antioxidant protection against peroxyl radicals by tracking the inhibition of fluorescence decay in a probe molecule.

References

1. DPPH Measurements and Structure—Activity Relationship Studies on the Antioxidant Capacity of Phenols. Antioxidants (2024).
2. Analytical Methods Used in Determining Antioxidant Activity: A Review. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2021).
3. Guidelines for antioxidant assays for food components. Food Frontiers (2020).
4. The Versatility of Antioxidant Assays in Food Science and Safety—Chemistry, Applications, Strengths, and Limitations. Antioxidants (2020).
5. Analytical Methods for Lipid Oxidation and Antioxidant Capacity in Food Systems. Antioxidants (2021).