Evaluation of food antioxidant activity by photostorage chemiluminescence

A sensitive and simple method for measuring antioxidant activity was developed, based on antioxidant-dependant quenching of the chemiluminescence (CL) generated from photolyzed acridine and methanolic potassium hydroxide. This method was used to evaluate the antioxidant activity of food additives by measuring the inhibition of CL at a gradient of antioxidant concentrations. Adipic, tartaric, citric, ascorbic, malic, fumaric and 6-hydroxy2,5,7,8-tetramethyl-2-carboxylic acid (Trolox) were employed as antioxidants. The method is more suitable for lipophilic compounds.