Investigation of the antioxidant capacity of caramels: Combination of laboratory assays and C. elegans model

• Published in: Journal of functional foods Vol. 78; p. 104308
• Main Authors: Moretton, Cédric, Gouttefangeas, Cécile, Dubois, Constance, Tessier, Frédéric Jacques, Fradin, Chantal, Prost-Camus, Emmanuelle, Prost, Michel, Haumont, Marc, Nigay, Henri
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.03.2021; Elsevier
• Subjects: Analytical chemistry; Animal biology; Antioxidant; Biochemistry; Biochemistry, Molecular Biology; C. elegans; Caramel; Chemical Sciences; Endocrinology and metabolism; Food and Nutrition; Human health and pathology; KRL; Life Sciences; Molecular biology; TEAC; Toxicology; Toxicology and food chain; CC; BS; C. elegans; AC; EBC colour; TEAC; KRL; GAEq; Caramel; Antioxidant; ABTS
• ISSN: 1756-4646; 2214-9414; 1756-4646
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jff.2020.104308

[Display omitted] •Caramels marketed as aromatic ingredients or food additives are antioxidant.•Antioxidant capacity tested by TEAC and KRL methods is linked to color of caramels.•Caramels increased resistance of C. elegans to oxidant attack.•Caramels could be a contributor to the daily intake of antioxidant compounds. Caramel is one of the most current additive/ingredient obtained by controlled heat treatment of carbohydrates. A combination of in vitro and in vivo methods showed that aromatic caramels and caramel colours are antioxidant. The highest value is obtained for Class III caramel colours for in vitro TEAC and KRL tests (401 µmol Trolox equivalent/g and 5366 mg gallic acid equivalent/100 g, respectively). In in vivo test, caramels also increase the resistance of C. elegans to oxidant attack, with until 40% live worms after 18 h of treatment in the presence of caramels against no live worms after 12 h of treatment without. In conclusion, this study explore benefit effect of caramels and showed an antioxidant activity linked to their color intensity. The molecules involved remain to be explored.