The food additives inulin and stevioside counteract oxidative stress.

Prebiotics such as inulin (Inu)-type fructans and alternative natural sweeteners such as stevioside (Ste) become more popular as food ingredients. Evidence is accumulating that carbohydrates and carbohydrate-containing biomolecules can be considered true antioxidants, capable of scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS). Here, we report on the ROS scavenging abilities of Inu and Ste in comparison with other sugars, sugar derivatives and arbutin. It is found that Inu and Ste are superior scavengers of both hydroxyl and superoxide radicals, more effective than mannitol and sucrose. Other compounds, such as 1-kestotriose, trehalose, raffinose and L-malic acid, also showed good reactivity to at least one of the two oxygen free radicals. The strong antioxidant properties of Inu and Ste are discussed. Within the plant vacuole, these compounds could play a crucial role in antioxidant defense mechanisms to help survive stresses. Addition to food assists in natural sweetening, food stabilization and maximizes health impact.

Do leaf total antioxidant capacities (TAC) reflect specific antioxidant potentials? - A comparison of TAC and reactive oxygen scavenging in tobacco leaf extracts.

Two traditional methods of total antioxidant capacity (TAC) assessment, Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) were applied to water extracts from tobacco leaves at various stages of senescence. Physiological status of the leaves was characterized by the effective photochemical quantum yield of photosynthesis (Y(II)). TAC values were compared to amounts of total phenolics, carotenoid contents and also to reactive oxygen scavenging capacities of the leaf extracts. To this end a new, simple fluorimetric assay was introduced for testing hydroxyl radical neutralizing capacity in leaf extracts. We found that while both TAC values increased with declining photosynthesis and decreasing pigment content, they were not characteristic to specific superoxide or hydroxyl radical scavenging and had limited connection to leaf antioxidant content. Good linear correlations were only found between the following pairs of parameters: Y(II) - total carotenoid, TEAC - total carotenoid, FRAP - total phenolics. Our data show that TEAC and FRAP are not interchangeable in leaf studies and do not represent antioxidant action on ROS.