Comprehensive research is required to achieve the optimization of the antioxidant protection through baby foods, in particular, the commercially available fruit-based baby foods. This study investigated the physicochemical properties, ascorbic acid (AA), total carotenoids (TC), total phenolic content (TPC), trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) of 23 different commercially available fruit-based baby foods. The main contribution to the total antioxidant capacity (trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity and oxygen radical absorbance capacity) was provided by ascorbic acid, followed by phenolic compounds, in accordance with a mathematical equation obtained from the data: TEAC = 245.906 + 7.727 × (AA) + 1.988 × (TPC) − 0.008 × (TC) and ORAC = 318.662 + 2.775 × (AA) − 0.531 × (TPC) − 0.073 × (TC). Moreover, a positive correlation (r = 0.346, p < 0.05) was found for oxygen radical absorbance capacity and trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity methods. Baby foods with different kind of fruits used as ingredients showed higher antioxidant capacity. Among the commercial baby foods analysed in this work, that treated by gentle steam cooking process had high levels of bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity.
AdomKKLiuRH (2002) Antioxidant activity of grains. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry50: 6182–6186.
2.
AndersonJW (2004) Whole grains and coronary heart disease, the whole kernel of truth. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition80: 1459–1460.
3.
BarbaFJEsteveMJFrígolaA (2010) Ascorbic acid is the only bioactive that is better preserved by high hydrostatic pressure than by thermal treatment of a vegetable beverage. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry58(18): 10070–10075.
4.
BarbaFJEsteveMJFrígolaA (2012) High pressure treatment effect on physicochemical and nutritional properties of fluid foods during storage: a review. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety11(3): 307–322.
5.
BarbaFJEsteveMJTedeschiPBrandoliniVFrigolaA (2013) A comparative study of the analysis of antioxidant activities of liquid foods employing spectrophotometric, fluorometric, and chemiluminescent methods. Food Analytical Methods6(1): 317–327.
6.
ČížkováHŠevčíkRRajchlAVoldřichM (2009) Nutritional quality of commercial fruit baby food. Czech Journal of Food Science27: S134–S137.
7.
Del CaroAPigaAVaccaVAgabbioM (2004) Changes of flavonoids, vitamin C and antioxidant capacity in minimally processed citrus segments and juices during storage. Food Chemistry84(1): 99–105.
8.
HalvorsenLBHolteKIMyhrstadMCWBarikmoIHvattumERembergFS (2002) A systematic screening of total antioxidants in dietary plants. Journal of Nutrition132: 461–471.
9.
International Federation of Fruit Juice Producers (IFU) (2001) Methods of analysis. Loose leaf-collection, Zug, Switzerland: Swiss Fruit Association.
10.
Institute of Medicine (IOM). (2005). Vitamin C. In: Otten JJ, Hellwig JP and Meyers LD (eds) Dietary Reference Intakes. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, pp.202–211.
11.
KlimczakIMałeckaMSzlachtaMGliszczyńska-ŚwigłoA (2007) Effect of storage on the content of polyphenols, vitamin C and the antioxidant activity of orange juices. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis20(3–4): 313–322.
12.
LeeHSCastleWS (2001) Seasonal changes of carotenoid pigments and color in Hamlin, Earlygold, and Budd blood orange juices. Journal Agricultural and Food Chemistry49: 877–882.
13.
LiWFrielJBetaT (2010) An evaluation of the antioxidant properties and aroma quality of infant cereals. Food Chemistry121: 1095–1102.
14.
MajchrzakDFrankUElmadfaI (2000) Carotenoid profile and retinol content of baby food products. European Food Research Technology210: 407–413.
15.
Meléndez-MartínezAJVicarioIMHerediaFJ (2004) Stability of carotenoid pigments in foods. Archivos Latinoamercicanos de Nutrición54(2): 209–215.
16.
OuBHampsch-WoodillMPriorRL (2001) Development and validation of an improved oxygen radical absorbance capacity assay using fluorescein as the fluorescent probe. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry49: 4619–4626.
17.
Pérez-JiménezJArranzSTaberneroMDíaz-RubioMESerranoJGoñiI (2008) Updated methodology to determine antioxidant capacity in plant foods, oils and beverages: extraction, measurement and expression of results. Food Research International41(3): 274–285.
18.
PinillaMJPlazaLSánchez-MorenoCDe AncosBCanoP (2005) Hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidant capacities of comercial mediterranean vegetable soups (Gazpachos). Journal of Food Science70: 61–65.
19.
ProteggenteARPannalaAPagangaGVan BurenLWagnerEWisemanS (2002) The antioxidant activity of regularly consumed fruit and vegetables reflects their phenolic and vitamin C composition. Free Radical Research36: 217–233.
20.
ReRPellegriniNProteggenteAPannalaAYangMRice-EvansC (1999) Antioxidant activity applying an improved ABTS radical cation decolorization assay. Free Radical Biology and Medicine26: 1231−1237–1231−1237.
21.
RitterEDPurcellAE(1981) Carotenoid analytical methods. In: BauernfeindJC (ed.) Carotenoids as Colorants and Vitamin A Precursors, New York: Academic Press, pp. 815–923.
22.
SerranoJGoñiISaura-CalixtoF (2007) Food antioxidant capacity determined by chemical methods may underestimate the physiological antioxidant capacity. Food Research International40: 15–21.
23.
SilvaEMSouzaJNSRogezHReesJFLarondelleY (2007) Antioxidant activities and polyphenolic contents of fifteen selected plant species from the Amazonian region. Food Chemistry101: 1012–1018.
24.
SingletonVLRossiJAJr. (1965) Colorimetry of total phenolics with phosphomolybdic-phosphotungstic acid reagents. American Journal of Enology and Viticulture16(3): 144–158.
25.
World Health Organization (WHO) (2003) Diet, nutrition and the prevention of chronic diseases, Geneva: WHO Technical Report Series, pp. 1–148.
26.
WuXGuLHoldenJHaytowitzDBGebhardtSEBeecherG (2004) Development of a database for total antioxidant capacity in foods: a preliminary study. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis17: 407–422.
27.
ZuluetaAEsteveMJFrasquetIFrígolaA (2007) Vitamin C, vitamin A, phenolic compounds and total antioxidant capacity of new fruit juice and skim milk mixture beverages marketed in Spain. Food Chemistry103: 1365–1374.
28.
ZuluetaAEsteveMJFrígolaA (2009) ORAC and TEAC assays comparison to measure the antioxidant capacity of food products. Food Chemistry114(1): 310–316.
