Antioxidant properties seeds

The food technologist may be especially interested in the fate of the carotenoids in the seed oil. Like red palm oil, the resulting carotenoid-pigmented canola oil may be more stable due to the antioxidant properties of carotenoids and may be more attractive to consumers. Alternatively, for food security concerns, transgenic soybean or canola oils and seed meals that are genetically modified for more efficient bio-diesel production may be bio-safety marked with lipid-soluble carotenoids and water-soluble anthocyanins, respectively. Potatoes are excellent potential sources of dietary carotenoids, and over-expression of CrtB in tubers led to the accumulation of P-carotene. Potatoes normally have low levels of leaf-type carotenoids, like canola cotyledons. 

Owing to good antioxidant properties, a-tocopherol is also a much sought target for enhanced production. This was achieved by enhancing the level of the a-tocopherol biosynthetic precursor, Y-tocopherol, and over-expressing y-tocopherol methyltransferase in seeds of the plant Arabidopis thaliana (Shintani 1998). 

Flavonoids often participate in plant reproduction, in the protection of reproductive tissues and seeds, and in seedling development. This may, in part, be due to their role in UV light shielding (thereby protecting DNA) and antioxidant properties, but other functions are also important. 

Nutmeg is used more commonly in Oriental medicine than in Western medicine. Medicinally, it is known for its stimulative and carminative properties. The seeds are carminative, stomachic, astringent, deodorant, narcotic and aphrodisiac, and useful in flatulence, nausea and vomiting. The antioxidant property of nutmeg was reviewed by Krishnamoorthy and Rema (2000). Both nutmeg and mace are used in the pharmaceutical industries. Powdered nutmeg is rarely administered alone, but it enters into the composition of numerous medicines as aromatic adjuncts. 

Dixit, P., Ghaskadbi, S., Mohan, H. and Devasagayam, T.P. (2005) Antioxidant properties of germinated fenugreek seeds. Phytotherapy Research 19(11), 977-983. 

Kolaviron isolated from G. kola seed extract appears to act as an in vivo natural antioxidant and an effective hepatoprotec-tive agent and is as effective as butylated hydroxyanisole (Farombi et al., 2000). The G. indica extract which contains gar-cinol has both antifungal and antioxidant properties and has potential for use as a biopreservative in food applications and nutraceuticals (Selvi et al., 2003). The growth of Aspergillus flavus was inhibited completely by the hexane and chloroform extracts from G. cowa and the chloroform... 

The earliest (and probably the most important) proposed function for InsPg in plants is that of a phosphate store for seeds (Posternak, 1919). It is now known that InsPg exhibits strong antioxidant properties (Hawkins et al., 1993) and can cause complete inhibition of Fe3+-catalyzed hydroxyl-radical formation. Functions proposed more recently for InsPg include protein phosphatase inhibition (Larsson et al., 1997) and activation of PKC (Efanov et al., 1997). InsP6 was also found in the nucleus, and York and coworkers observed that InsPg may modulate mRNA transport out of the nucleus (York et al., 1999). 

Birch, A.E. Fenner, G.P. Watkins, R. Boyd, L.C. 2001. Antioxidant properties of evening primrose seed extracts. J. Agric. Food Chem. 49 4502 507. 

It is important to note the difference between the seed oil and palm oil. Seed oils contain tocopherols. Palm oil contains tocotrienols in addition to tocopherols, and also a small amount of coenzyme QIO. Both tocotrienols and coenzyme QIO high antioxidant properties. Gamma- and delta-tocopherols, and their corresponding tocotrienols, are very effective in protecting oils from autoxidation (37). 

Phenolic acids occur naturally in higher plants, usually as free adds, glycosides, esters, or in insoluble-bound form in a complex mixture of other phenolic compounds. The presence of phenolic acids in food products has been associated with astringency, discoloration, inhibition of enzyme activity, and antioxidant properties, among others [15]. A major portion of phenohc acids present in almond was found in the form of soluble esters. Wijeratne et al. [16] reported that the total amounts of identified free phenolic acids were 16.3, 14[ig/g and a trace amount in skin, shell, and whole seed extracts, respectively, whereas the amounts for total esterified phenolic acids were 279.6,967.1, and 40.3 [ig/g, respectively. 

Vitamin E is found in nuts, seeds, and vegetable and fish oils. Citrus fruits and juices are rich in vitamin C. In addition to vitamins C and E, it is estimated that over 4000 polyphenolic natural products with antioxidant properties are found in fruits... 

Stankovic M, Tesevic V, Vajs V, Todorovic N, Milosavljevic S, Godevac D (2008) Antioxidant properties of grape seed extract on human lymphocyte oxidative defence. Planta Med 74 730-735... 

The petroleum ether-soluhle fraction of celery seed exhihited antioxidative properties on lard. ... 

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