Comparative characteristics of the isotopic D/H composition and antioxidant activity of freshly squeezed juices from fruits and vegetables grown in different geographical regions
AbstractData presented in this paper reflect changes in antioxidant activity, the content of prooxidant factors and deuterium concentration in freshly squeezed juices from fruits and vegetables grown in different climatic regions (10 samples of juices from wholesale and retail trade network of 8 kinds of vegetables and fruits, 28 manufacturers from 14 countries). Determination of the concentration of deuterium was performed using a nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer. Total antioxidant activity of fresh juices was determined amperometrically after dilution in 2.2 mM H3PO4 in a ratio of 1:100. Prooxidant performance was evaluated by a maximum and area of flash of chemiluminescence induced by the introduction of 0.3% hydrogen peroxide. It was found that the antioxidant activity of fresh juice from fruits and vegetables grown within the same climatic region can differ by several times. In this case, most of the fruits and vegetables of russian producers were not inferior, than antioxidant activity of the fresh juices from the same plant products grown abroad. It should be noted that the indicators of the antioxidant activity of fresh juice from Russian pears exceeded this indicator of all fresh juices from pears, imported from Argentina, South Africa and the United States of America by 21.1, 30.4 and 32.7%, respectively. In assessing the prooxidant properties of fresh juices should be noted the almost complete absence of factors with prooxidant nature only in 36% of the studied fresh juices, whose maximum performance and area of flash of chemiluminescence were less than 0.1%, including a pear and apple juices from the russian production. It should be noted that the area of chemiluminescence of the juice from potatoes, grown in Russia, was at 103.1 and 115.2% lower than in juice obtained respectively from potatoes produced in Israel and Egypt (p<0.05), indicating a higher safety of consumption of potatoes produced in Russia. When studying the isotopic D/H composition of fresh juices it was found that the highest deuterium content was in the juice from the pears, imported from Argentina (δD=-72‰), while the lowest concentration of deuterium was observed in the juice from the Egyptian potatoes (δ=-358‰). In general, significantly lower deuterium content was determined in fresh juices made from potatoes and cabbage grown in different countries, in comparison with other fresh juices from fruits and vegetables. The smallest range of differences in the isotopic D/H was composed in fresh juices from tomato, pomegranate and oranges of Turkish manufacturers (deuterium concentration ranged in them from -221 to -214‰), that can be used to confirm the geographical origin of fruits and vegetables grown in Turkey. The data reflecting the antioxidant activity, the content of prooxidant factors and deuterium concentration in the juices, allow us to recommend the latter as additional criteria when assessing the quality of food products.
Keywords:xidant activity, chemiluminescence, deuterium, fresh juices