Assessment and comparison of the antioxidant activities and nitrite scavenging activity of commonly consumed beverages in Korea

• We investigated 62 commonly consumed Korean beverages.
• The physicochemical properties and antioxidant activities were assessed.
• Total phenolic content and ORAC values were highest in the pomegranate beverage.
• DPPH radical and nitrite scavenging activities were highest in the vitamin beverage.
• This research helps in the development of accurate method to determine antioxidant activities of commercial products.

In this study, the antioxidant potential of commercial beverages against a variety of radicals was determined using various antioxidant activity analytical methods. The physicochemical properties (pH value and °Brix), total phenolic content and antioxidant activities were assessed. Our results showed that the pH value and sugar content (°Brix) of commonly consumed beverages ranged from 2.4 to 3.9 and from 3.8 to 18.5, respectively. The DPPH radical scavenging activity and nitrite scavenging ability were highest in No. 45 vitamin beverage (87.5% and 86.0%, respectively). However, no clear correlation appeared between the total phenolic content and the DPPH radical scavenging activity (R = 0.2565). The total phenolic content and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) values were highest in No. 55 pomegranate beverage (183.3 mg GAE/100 mL and 1824.4 μM TE/mL, respectively). In particular, a high correlation was shown between the total phenolic content and the ORAC value (R = 0.7954). Based on the results of various antioxidant activity methods, the greatest preventative antioxidant capacity of consumed beverages in Korea was found in No. 55 pomegranate. These results will enable further research on the daily phenolic compound intake as well as on the development of healthy beverages.