Determination of Total Phenolics, Antioxidant Capacity and Antimicrobial Activity of Selected Aromatic Spices (original) (raw)

2015, Bulletin of University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca. Food Science and Technology

In recent years, it has been acknowledged that many spices not only have properties that make food more pleasant and tastier but they also have important preservative and antioxidant properties. The antioxidant properties of many spices are well known, while their prooxidant properties less so. The aim of this study was to perform a comparative evaluation of three selected spice (garlic, black pepper and red pepper), commercially available in Cluj-Napoca's market, regarding their content in total phenolic compounds, antioxidant capacity and antimicrobial activity. The antioxidant aspects were evaluated by determination of the total phenolic content by the Folin-Ciocalteau method and by the antioxidant activity using the 1,1-diphenyl-2picrylhydrazyl reagent (DPPH).The total phenolic content was between 3,38 and 0,925 mg GAE/1g, while the antioxidant capacity ranged between 18,41% and 10,9% from dry spice. Results showed that garlic extract has the most effective antioxidant capacity in scavenging DPPH radicals, while black pepper and red pepper were less active. In the present study piperine was evaluated for its antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhumurium. Spices showed antimicrobial activity against all tested bacteria with zone of inhibition ranged from 8-15,5 mm.