Evaluation of Antioxidant Activities of Ethanol Extracted Garlic and Onion as Affected by Pre-heating for the Application of Meat Products

The objective of this study was to evaluate the pre-heating treatment effects on the antioxidant properties of ethanolic garlic and onion extracts. Garlic and onion with or without heating (100 degrees C, 30 min) were extracted with ethanol, and the total phenolic content, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging ability, iron chelating ability, reducing power, and antioxidant activity in a linoleic acid emulsion system were evaluated. Garlic (41%) had a higher drying yield than onion (11%). Regardless of pre-heating, ethanol extracts of onion resulted in an approximately 25-fold higher yield than those of garlic. Thermal treatment before extraction decreased the levels of ethanol-soluble phenolics for both garlic and onion. Regardless of pre-heating, the radical scavenging abilities of ethanol extracts from garlic were greater than the ethanol extracts from onion. The iron chelating abilities of ethanol extracts from fresh and heated garlic were 85 and 81% at 10 mg/mL respectively, whereas those of onion extracts were 10 and 9% at the same concentration, respectively. However, no differences in reducing power between garlic and onion extracts were observed. Both garlic and onion inhibited the formation of hydroperoxide in linoleic acid emulsion systems when ethanol was used as a solvent. Overall, garlic extracts had greater antioxidant activity than onion extracts, and the antioxidant activity of garlic and onion extracts were not significantly affected by thermal treatment.