Abstract
The antioxidative activity of rooibos tea was examined using a DPPH radical-scavenging method, and its activity when preserved in lard and in iron-enriched model cookies was investigated. The rooibos tea extract showed high DPPH radical-scavenging activity in a dose-dependent manner. When the lard preservation method was used, strong antioxidative activity was also seen. In iron-enriched cookies that did not contain the tea extract, various ferrous compounds (not including ferric pyrophosphate) were found to accelerate lipid peroxidation. With the addition of the rooibos tea extract to the iron-enriched cookies, however, lipid peroxidation, apart from heme iron preparation (HIP), was effectively prevented. These results suggest that rooibos tea extract could be utilized in high-fat foods for the prevention of lipid peroxidation.
