ASSESSMENT OF THE INFLUENCE OF HEALTHY FOODS ON THE ANTIOXIDANT CAPACITY AND IMMUNE RESPONSE OF THE ORGANISM

Abstract

The analyzes carried out in this research were performed on meadow and mountain honey samples from Bosnia and Herzegovina. The geographical origin of the analyzed honey samples is the area of Mount Majevica in the Tuzla Canton and the area of Livno, Canton 10, Sarajevo, Sarajevo Canton and Vlašić, Central Bosnia Canton. Honey samples were collected from 8 different localities. During the analysis, all honey samples were up to one year old. With the aim of testing the antioxidant capacity of honey, the polyphenol content and total antioxidant capacity were determined. The total antioxidant capacity of honey was determined by the indirect FRAP (Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power) method, and the polyphenol content by the Folin-Ciocalteu method. The results showed that there is a significant correlation between the antioxidant capacity of the analyzed honey samples and the content of polyphenols in them. In order to compare the antioxidant activity and polyphenol content of pure honey samples (without additives) with honey mixtures (additions: ginger, garlic, sweet wormwood, propolis), mixtures were prepared for all samples, namely 5 mixtures of honey and ginger; 5 mixtures of honey and garlic, 5 mixtures of honey and sweet wormwood and 3 mixtures of honey and propolis. Analyzing the results, a comparative analysis of the polyphenol content and total antioxidant capacity in honey samples before and after the addition of wormwood, ginger, garlic and propolis was performed, and the influence of the mixture's standing time on the tested parameters was also examined. The results of these analyzes showed that additives to honey significantly affect its antioxidant activity and polyphenol content, and that standing the prepared mixtures can lead to an additional increase or decrease of the tested parameters.