Evaluation of antioxidant activity and total phenols index in persimmon vinegars produced by different processes

The total phenols index (TPI) and antioxidant activity of persimmon vinegars produced by different processes were evaluated. A novel extraction method was designed and optimised for this purpose with respect to the type and concentration of solvent and ultrasonication time. The best extraction conditions found were the use of 80% ethanol and 25 min of ultrasonication. Antioxidant capacity was determined by the oxygen-radical absorbance capacity of fluorescein (ORAC-FL) and 2,2'-diphenyl-1-pycrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free-radical assays. The antioxidant activities were the same in the fruit and the vinegar, except in the ORAC assay, which showed a significant decrease during the acetification process. The results showed that using the wild yeast strain native to the persimmon produced vinegars with higher antioxidant activity than that of an inoculated alcoholic fermentation. Finally, a comparison between our vinegars and other commercial examples was made. The TPI and antioxidant activity values of persimmon vinegars were always higher than those obtained from white and red-wine vinegars. The antioxidant activity and total phenols of the final product indicate that persimmon vinegar is a competitive product in the market. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.