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Analytical Methods Applied to Assess the Effects of Gamma Irradiation on Color, Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Activity of Ginkgo biloba L

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Abstract

The extracts from the leaves of Ginkgo biloba are widely used in medicines and food supplements in order to overcome different health problems. To provide decontamination, irradiation is a safe and effective technique, particularly suitable to be integrated in quality control of the postharvest samples. In this study, different analytical methods were applied to assess the effects of gamma irradiation (1 and 10 kGy) in G. biloba color, chemical composition and antioxidant properties. Irradiation preserved macronutrients, fatty acids, γ- and δ-tocopherols, fructose, trehalose, quinic and shikimic acids. In particular, 1 kGy protected α-tocopherol, oxalic and malic acids contents, while 10 kGy decreased α-tocopherol, glucose, sucrose, oxalic and malic acids level. Nevertheless, this dose was the most effective for antioxidant activity. Overall, 1 kGy would be the recommended dose to maintain nutritional profile of G. biloba, protect specific molecules and also increase antioxidant activity of infusion and methanolic extracts prepared from its leaves.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT, Portugal) for financial support to CIMO (strategic project PEst-OE/AGR/UI0690/2011). The authors are also grateful to Clarinda Paixão, from Américo Duarte Paixão Lda, for providing the samples. Lillian Barros is supported by FCT “Programa Compromisso com Ciência-2008”.

Conflict of Interest

Eliana Pereira declares that she has no conflict of interest. Lillian Barros declares that she has no conflict of interest. Amilcar L. Antonio declares that he has no conflict of interest. Albino Bento declares that he has no conflict of interest. Isabel C.F.R. Ferreira declares that she has no conflict of interest. This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), ESA, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 1172, 5301-855, Bragança, Portugal

    Eliana Pereira, Lillian Barros, Amilcar Antonio, Albino Bento & Isabel C. F. R. Ferreira

  2. GIP-USAL, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Salamanca, Campus Miguel de Unamuno, 37007, Salamanca, Spain

    Eliana Pereira

  3. Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares, Universidade de Lisboa, Estrada Nacional 10, 2686-953, Sacavém, Portugal

    Amilcar Antonio

Authors
  1. Eliana Pereira
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  2. Lillian Barros
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  3. Amilcar Antonio
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  4. Albino Bento
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  5. Isabel C. F. R. Ferreira
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Correspondence to Isabel C. F. R. Ferreira.

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Pereira, E., Barros, L., Antonio, A. et al. Analytical Methods Applied to Assess the Effects of Gamma Irradiation on Color, Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Activity of Ginkgo biloba L. Food Anal. Methods 8, 154–163 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12161-014-9883-x

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