Total antioxidant capacity of meat and meat products consumed in a reference 'Spanish standard diet'

The antioxidant capacity (AC) of meat, meat products and the comparison with fish, vegetable products, milk and a balanced and healthy diet was determined using the ORACFL assay. The hydrophilic ORACFL (H-ORACFL) of hake and sardine was 596 +/- 133 and 641 +/- 128 mol Trolox Equivalents (TE) per 100g, respectively. The highest H-ORACFL value was found in cured meat samples, where Iberian cured ham (4890 +/- 443mol TE per 100g), whereas the lowest level of 797 +/- 68mol TE per 100g was found in Frankfurt sausages. Products like mortadela with olives, sobrasada and salami showed intermediate values ranging between 1107 +/- 123mol TE per 100g and 1011 +/- 63mol TE per 100g. Iberian cured ham presents the higher AC of all meat products studied, and this value being higher than that provided by red wine (3135 +/- 312mol TE per 100g). The AC of orange juice was lower than meat products, with the exception of Frankfurt sausages. Finally, the estimated total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of the reference standard diet was 29006mol TE per intake whole diet per day, and meat representing 10.51% per intake per day of the TAC of the whole diet.