Chapter 2 - Antioxidants and Antioxidant Rich Foods

Abstract

This chapter focuses on antioxidants and antioxidant-rich foods. The major role of antioxidants in the food industry is to prevent off-flavors, rancidity and to maintain their nutritional value. They have become an indispensable group of food additives. They are substances when present in foods at low concentrations compared with those of an oxidizable substrate markedly delay or prevent the oxidation of the substrate. They are classified as natural and synthetic antioxidants. They are also classified based on their chemical nature, function, and site of synthesis. Sources of natural food antioxidants include most of the fruits and vegetables, such as berries, cranberries ( Vaccinium macrocarpon ), grapes, tomato ( Lycopersicon esculentum ), garlic, and tea. The chapter further discusses autoxidation, mechanisms leading to autoxidation in food and biological systems, lipid oxidation, sources of natural and synthetic antioxidants, their chemistry and mechanism of action to prevent autoxidation, and health benefits of some antioxidative foods.