Antioxidant Properties of Cereal Products

ABSTRACT: Four commercial cereal products were examined and compared for their free radical scavenging properties, chelating capacity, and total phenolic contents. The Quaker Oat Bran™ ready‐to‐eat cold cereal showed the greatest activity to quench DPPH radicals, while the Quaker oatmeal had the highest capacity against ABTS+. Significant Fe 2 + chelating activity was also detected in these cereal products with EDTA equivalents of 0.08 to 0.48 mg/g cereals. The total phenolic contents were 203 to 524 mg per gram of cereal products. These results indicate that readily available cereal products contain significant levels of antioxidants and may be an important source of dietary antioxidants.