DURUM WHEAT ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
Food antioxidants, such as phenolic compounds, play a significant role for the defence of human body against oxidative stress, increasing the body natural resistance to oxidative damage. Cereals are known as a major source of a wide range of phenolic acids (PAs). In the wheat kernels the distribution of antioxidant components is not homogeneous and their concentration is greater in the external layers. This study was focused on the optimization of analytical methods used for PAs extraction and identification in order to evaluate content and profile of these compounds in durum wheat and derived products obtained either by conventional or innovative technological processes. The traditional milling process provides the removal of external layers and peripheral tissues determining a drastic reduction of PAs. The use of whole-grain products or the application of technological processes (i.e. debranning) could be a useful tool for preserving the PAs natural pool present in durum wheat.
The growing interest for general health amelioration of chronic diseases and prevention of the effects of aging directed consumer’s interest towards phytonutrients and mainly natural antioxidants derived from plants. Antioxidants may be defined as compounds that inhibit or delay the oxidation of other molecules by inhibiting the initiation or propagation of oxidizing chain reactions. Antioxidants are important both for food preservation and for the defence of human body against the oxidative stress. Oxidative stress seems to result from an imbalance in the body between oxidants and antioxidants due to a decrease in natural cell antioxidant capacity or an increase in the amount or overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the organism. Consumption of food rich in antioxidants may lead to scavenging of free radicals and ROS that could otherwise cause oxidative damage to biomolecules such as lipids, proteins and nucleic acids. Plants are known to contain a wide range of chemical classes with antioxidant activity. Great attention has been traditionally devoted to dietary antioxidants such as ascorbic acid, carotenoids, tocopherols, but also other food antioxidants, such as phenolic compounds, play a significant role increasing the human body natural resistance to oxidative damage (Liyana-Pathirana and Shahidi, 2006). The antioxidant activities of phenolic compounds is mainly attributed to their redox properties, which allow them to act as reducing agents, hydrogen donors and quenchers of singlet oxygen. Increased consumption of plant-derived phenolics has been related to a reduced risk of degen-
Tecnica Molitoria International - Yearly issue 2013 - 59