by Paul D Prenzler, Danielle Ryan, Kevin Robards
The field of antioxidant research has
grown rapidly over the last 30 years and shows no sign of slowing down.
In order to understand how antioxidants work, it is essential to
understand how their activity is measured. However, antioxidant activity
measurements are controversial and their value has been challenged.
This book addresses a number of the controversies on antioxidant testing
methods. Specifically, the book highlights the importance of context,
helping the reader to decide what methods are most appropriate for
different situations, how the results can be interpreted and what
information may be inferred from the data.
There
are a multiplicity of methods for measuring activity, with no
standardized method approved for in vitro or in vivo testing. In order
to select an appropriate method, a thorough knowledge of the processes
associated with reduction-oxidation is essential, leading to an improved
understanding and use of activity measurements and the associated data.
The book presents background information, in a unique style, which is
designed to assist readers to grasp the fundamentals of redox processes,
as well as thermodynamics and kinetics, which are essential to later
chapters. Recovery and extraction of antioxidants from diverse matrices
are presented in a clear and logical fashion along with methods used to
determine antioxidant activity from a mechanistic perspective. Other
chapters present current methodologies used for activity testing in
different sample types ranging from foods and plants, to body fluids and
even to packaging, but always with a strong emphasis on the nature of
the sample and the underlying chemistry of the method.
A
number of emerging techniques for assessing antioxidant behaviour,
namely, electrochemical methods, chip technology exploiting microfluidic
devices, metabolomics plus studies of gene and protein expression, are
examined. Ultimately, these techniques will be involved in generation of
"big data" for which an understanding of chemometrics will be essential
in drawing valid conclusions.
The
book is written to appeal to a wide audience, but will be particularly
helpful for any researchers who are attempting to make sense of the vast
literature and often conflicting messages on antioxidant activity.
