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Antioxidant Capacity of Beetroot: Traditional vs Novel Approaches

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Abstract

Red beetroot has been ranked among the 10 most potent antioxidant vegetables, although only extraction-based methods have been used to evaluate its total antioxidant capacity. Therefore, the present study aims at comparing the traditional extraction-based method with two more recent approaches (QUENCHER -QUick, Easy, New, CHEap and Reproducible- and GAR -global antioxidant response method), in order to establish their suitability in the case of beetroot. Our results indicate that the total antioxidant capacity of beetroot would be underestimated when using extraction-based procedures, since both QUENCHER and GAR methods resulted in a higher total antioxidant capacity. The effect of a thermal treatment on the total antioxidant capacity of beetroot varies among the methods evaluated and our findings suggest different compounds responsible for the total antioxidant capacity detected in each pre-processing method. Remarkably, the present study demonstrates that the traditional extraction-based method seems useful to screen for (changes in) the “bioavailable” antioxidant potential of the root.

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Abbreviations

ABTS:

2, 2′-anizo-bis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)

FRAP:

Ferric reducing antioxidant power

GAR:

Global antioxidant response

QUENCHER:

QUick, Easy, New, CHEap and Reproducible

TAC:

Total antioxidant capacity

TP:

Total polyphenols

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nutrición y Bromatología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Burgos, E-09001, Burgos, Spain

    Celia Carrillo, Raquel Rey, María del Mar Cavia & Sara Alonso-Torre

  2. Laboratory of Food Technology, Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems (M2S), KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 23, B-3001, Leuven, Belgium

    Marc Hendrickx

Authors
  1. Celia Carrillo
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  2. Raquel Rey
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  3. Marc Hendrickx
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  4. María del Mar Cavia
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  5. Sara Alonso-Torre
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Celia Carrillo.

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The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Carrillo, C., Rey, R., Hendrickx, M. et al. Antioxidant Capacity of Beetroot: Traditional vs Novel Approaches. Plant Foods Hum Nutr 72, 266–273 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11130-017-0617-2

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