Antioxidant properties and components of bran extracts from selected wheat varieties commercially available in Pakistan

Antioxidant activity of bran extracts from five wheat varieties indigenous to Pakistan, i.e. Punjab-96, Bhakkar-2002, Uqab-2000, SH-2002, and Pasban-90, has been evaluated. All the bran extracts exhibited appreciable total phenolic content (2.12-3.37mg gallic acid equivalent/g bran), total flavonoid content (epicatechin equivalent 262-304 mu g/g bran), chelating activity (ethylenediaminetetracetate equivalent 597-716 mu g/g bran), 2,2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity (51-79%), ABTS radical cation scavenging activity (Trolox equivalent 27-36 mu mol/g), oxygen radical absorbance capacity (97-123 mu mol/g), and total anthocyanin content (30-38 mg/kg bran). Tocopherol (22-26 ppm) and tocotrienol content (59-74 ppm) were determined by RP-HPLC. For confirmation of tocopherol content, polarographic study was conducted, which further authenticated the results (21-25 ppm). All the varieties exhibited appreciable antioxidant potential and significant differences were observed among the varieties in different systems of antioxidant activity evaluation. (c) 2005 Swiss Society of Food Science and Technology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.