Aging of Whiskey Increases 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl Radical Scavenging Activity

• Published in: Journal of agricultural and food chemistry Vol. 52; no. 16; pp. 5240 - 5244
• Main Authors: Aoshima, Hitoshi, Tsunoue, Hideaki, Koda, Hirofumi, Kiso, Yoshinobu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 11-08-2004
• Subjects: Alcoholic Beverages - analysis; antibacterial properties; antioxidant activity; Biological and medical sciences; Biphenyl Compounds; Brandies, spirituous liquors; DPPH radicals; Escherichia coli; Fermented food industries; Food industries; food storage; free radical scavengers; Free Radical Scavengers - analysis; Free Radical Scavengers - chemistry; free radicals; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; hydrogen peroxide; Japanese whiskey; lactones; oak barrels; phenolic compounds; Picrates - chemistry; Quercus; storage time; Time Factors; whisky; Wood; DPPH radical; Alcoholic beverage; Polyphenol; radical scavenging; Ageing; Whisky; Antioxidant; Aging of whiskey
• ISSN: 0021-8561; 1520-5118
• DOI: 10.1021/jf049817s

1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity of Japanese whiskey after various aging periods in oak barrels was measured to evaluate the antioxidative effects of whiskey. The activity of the whiskey increased with the aging period with high correlation. The activity of various types of whiskey was measured and shown to be correlated to the potentiation of the GABAA receptor response measured in a previous paper. However, the fragrant compounds in the whiskey which potentiated the GABAA receptor response had low DPPH radical scavenging activity, while phenol derivatives had high radical scavenging activity. The whiskey was extracted by pentane. The aqueous part showed the scavenging activity, whereas the pentane part did not. Thus, both the DPPH radical scavenging activity and the potentiation of the GABAA receptor response increased during whiskey aging in oak barrels, but were due to different components. The whiskey protected the H2O2-induced death of E. coli more than ethanol at the same concentration as that of the whiskey. The changes that occurred in the whiskey during aging may be the reason aged whiskies are so highly valued. Keywords: Aging of whiskey; antioxidant; DPPH radical; polyphenol; radical scavenging