Extraction, IdentificationandEvaluationofAntioxidantActivityinSomeHerbs and Spices

Addition of synthetic antioxidants can control lipid oxidation in foods, but their use has become restricted because of their health risks and toxicity. The increasing consciousness of consumers, with regard to food additive safety, created a need for identifying alternative natural and safer sources of food antioxidants. Green tea, sage, caraway, rosemary, ginger, anise, coriander, fenugreek, cumin and black cumin were subjected to screening for its phenolic compounds using TLC. Then, they were extracted with methanol. The phenolic compounds were identifiedinthemethanolicextractsusingHPLC,andthenevaluatedfor their antioxidant activity. The obtained results revealed that green tea contained the highest amount of total phenolic content 155.72 g/kg followed by sage (82.8 g/kg), and ginger contained the lowest amount (25.7 g/kg). Eight phenolic compounds were separated and identifiedfromgreentea,ninefromsageandfour from caraway. Moreover, it was found from this study, that green tea extract showed antioxidant activity similar to TBHQ at the same concentration. Green tea showed antioxidant activity two folds of sage and four folds of caraway extract