Total antioxidant potential of juices and beverages - Screening by DPPH in vitro assay

Epidemiologic studies have demonstrated an inverse association between consumption of fruits or beverages and morbidity and mortality from degenerative diseases. The antioxidant content of fruit juices and beverages contribute to the protection they offer from disease. Because plant foods contain many different classes and types of antioxidants, knowledge of their total antioxidant potential (TAP), which is the cumulative capacity of food components to scavenge free radicals, would be useful for epidemiological purposes. To accomplish this, a variety of fruit juices and beverages commonly consumed in Egypt were analyzed using in vitro DPPH assay. The order of effectiveness of fruit juices in inhibiting free radicals was as follow: red grapes juice > mango juice > guava juice > cocktail juice > pineapple juice > orange juice > cherry juice > apple juice. Among beverages, teas followed by coffees had the greatest TAP. These data confirm grape juice, teas and coffees as good dietary sources of antioxidants.