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Overeenstemming over bepaling hoeveelheden antioxidanten.
Wereldwijd is er nu overeenstemming bereikt over de te volgen methode om de hoeveelheid antioxidanten in voeding te bepalen. Het kon nog al eens gebeuren dat bij een methode andere waarden werden verkregen dan bij een andere waardoor in het ene land bijv. blauwe bessen de meeste antioxidanten hadden terwijl door een ander onderzoek aardbeien de meeste hadden. Dat wordt nu verleden tijd men gaat eenzelfde methode volgen.
Het is natuurlijk ook belangrijk te weten hoeveel van die antioxidanten dan in het lichaam opgenomen worden. Daarvoor werd op dit congres in Orlando afspraken gemaakt om zo snel mogelijk met een goede oplossing te komen.
The
American Chemical Society convened the 2nd International Congress on
Antioxidant Methods in Orlando, Florida.
90
scientists from around the world met to determine how best to push the promise
surrounding the health benefits of antioxidants into the realm of validated
reality.
Two
key agreements emerged from the congress. First, the group agreed to assess the
total phenolic compounds (believed to provide health benefits) in food using the
Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) assay, as well as the Folin-Ciocalteu
assay.
This
was a major accomplishment, as there had been little consensus in the past as to
what method researchers from around the world would use in their attempts to
measure the presence of phenolic compounds. Claims surrounding health benefits
of antioxidants depend in part on scientists agreeing on a single workable
standard which all will use to measure potential levels of compounds.
For
example, scientists in Great Britain may claim that blueberries have the highest
level of antioxidants based on the way they measure such compounds. Meanwhile,
researchers in San Francisco might claim that strawberries have the highest
level, using a completely different ‘yardstick.’
The
agreement to use the ORAC and Folin-Ciocalteu assays should level the playing
field with respect to claims of antioxidant content within different foods.
A
second major obstacle confronting researchers in this field dealt with
antioxidant cellular activity and absorption. While it’s important to know how
foods vary in the amount of antioxidant compounds they possess, it’s more
important to learn how the compounds affect cell activity, and ultimately, if
any of the presumably beneficial antioxidants are absorbed in a meaningful way.
To
that end, the congress participants agreed on the need to quickly develop a
better process for cell model screening of biological activity, and subsequent
absorption.
Looking
to the future, the congress chairs, John Finley (A.M. Todd), and Ronald Prior (University
of Arkansas), and other members of the organizing committee are considering when
and where to hold the 2006 version of this event.
(Juli 2005)