Effect of solvent and extraction temperatures on the antioxidant potential of traditional stoned table olives “alcaparras”

This paper reports the first approach to the antioxidant potential evaluation of traditional stoned table olives “alcaparras”. This kind of olives are largely produced and consumed in Trás-os-Montes region (Northeast of Portugal). Different solvents and temperature extraction conditions were employed in order to achieve the best method to obtain phenolic compounds and a higher antioxidant activity. The optimum method (water at boiling temperature) was applied on 10 samples from the traditional market. The total phenol content ranged between 5.58 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g and 29.88 mg GAE/g and effective concentration (EC50) values were in the range 0.36–1.64 and 0.34–1.72 mg/mL for reducing power and radical scavenging effect, respectively. A significantly negative linear regression was observed between the total phenol content found in the samples and its antioxidant activity.