STUDY ON FREE RADICAL SCAVENGING AND TOTAL POLYPHENOLS OF SOME ROMANIAN WINES

Abstract

Phenolic compounds contribute to organoleptic characteristics such as colour, astringency and bitterness of grapes and wines. Some relevant analytical parameters of the wines produced by R & D Station for Viticulture and Wine Bujoru and Regional Laboratory for quality control and hygiene wine Odobesti, are given in this paper. Free radical scavenging activity was determined for several red and white wines from different grape varieties cultivated in the south-east of Romania vineyards region. The free radical scavenging activity of the wine samples was analysed by using the 2,2,-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. The absorbance was read at 515 nm. The amount of polyphenols in selected wines was investigated by means of UV–VIS methods according to the Folin–Ciocalteu colorimetric method. The mean concentration of total polyphenols (TPs) content of the analyzed red wines was 639.5205 mg/L gallic acid equivalent and for the white wines was 180.5233 mg/L gallic acid equivalent. The investigated red wines showed antioxidant behaviour in the range of 89.85% to 76.60%. The free radical scavenging activity of the wines was correlated to total polyphenol compounds content. The polyphenolic compounds content in the investigated wines contributes to their antioxidant activity. The hypothesis of a protective effect of red wine is supported by obtained results which show that the red wines with higher amounts of polyphenols possess higher antioxidant properties.