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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Boston, Massachusetts » Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #348708
Title: Phytochemical composition and antioxidant capacity of whole wheat products

Author
item CHEN, CHUNG-YEN - Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging At Tufts University
item KAMIL, ALISON - Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging At Tufts University
item BLUMBERG, JEFFREY - Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging At Tufts University

Submitted to: International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/12/2014
Publication Date: 1/12/2015
Citation: Chen, C., Kamil, A., Blumberg, J.B. 2015. Phytochemical composition and antioxidant capacity of whole wheat products. International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition. 66(1):63-70. https://doi.org/10.3109/09637486.2014.971228.

Interpretive Summary: Whole wheat contains an array of phytochemical nutrients-- bioactive compounds found in plants. However, information on their content in commercial whole wheat products is lacking. We quantified different phytochemicals in 6 whole wheat products and characterized their antioxidant capacity and ability to induce detoxification. Total antioxidant capacity of the wheat products was attributed principally to bound antioxidants. Whole wheat biscuits and pasta were the most potent products to induce detoxification enzyme activity of modeled liver cells. This study provides a platform to characterize the relationship between the phytochemical composition of whole wheat and products formulated with this whole grain.

Technical Abstract: Whole wheat contains an array of phytochemicals. We quantified alkylresorcinols (AR), phenolic acids, phytosterols, and tocols in six whole wheat products and characterized their antioxidant capacity and ability to induce quinone reductase activity (QR). Total AR content ranged from 136.8 to 233.9 micrograms/g and was correlated with whole wheat content (r=0.9248; p=0.0083). Ferulic acid (FerA) was the dominant phenolic at 99.9-316.0 micrograms/g and mostly bound tightly to the wheat matrix. AR-C21 and total FerA predicted the whole wheat content in each product (R2=0.9933). Total phytosterol content ranged from 562.6 to 1035.5 micrograms/g. Total tocol content ranged from 19.3 to 292.7 micrograms/g. Phytosterol and tocol contents were independent of whole wheat content. Whole wheat biscuits and pasta were the most potent products to induce QR in Hepa1c1c7 cells. This study provides a platform to characterize the relationship between the phytochemical composition of whole wheat and products formulated with this whole grain.