This paper discusses antioxidants in food and nutrition, provides an overview of anemia, and indicates any possible correlationship between the two.
Antioxidants are present naturally in virtually all food commodities, providing them with a valuable degree of protection against oxidative attack (Hudson, 1990, p. v). When food commodities are subjected to processing, such natural antioxidants are often depleted, whether physically, from the nature of the process itself, or by chemical degradation. In consequence, processed food products usually keep less well than do the commodities from which they originated (Maga & Tu, 1995, pp. 95-96).
Antioxidants retard oxidative rancidity caused by atmospheric oxidation and thus protect oils, fats and fat soluble components such as vitamins, carotenoids and other nutritive ingredients. In addition, they delay undesirable change brought about by oxidation in foods, for example discoloration in meat and meat products, browning or scald on fruit and vegetables (Gregory, 1984, June, p. 18). Care in food processing and treatment of the food packaging materials with antioxidants minimize such deteriorations.
Antioxidants may be added directly to the food system or as a solution in the food's oil base, in a food grade solvent or in an emulsified form which may be sprayed onto the food product. The type of food to which antioxidants may be added is variable, ranging from dry, convenience and snack foods, biscuits, nuts, mayonnaise, fruit drinks, chewing gum and meat products, to oils and fats.
The term 'food antioxidants' is generally applied to those compounds that interrupt the free-radical chain reactions involved in lipid oxidation (Frei, 1994, pp. 25-29). However, the term should not be used in such a narrow sense because of the complexity of the food systems. Broadly speaking, antioxidants are classified into five types:
(1) Primary antioxidants: those compounds, mainly phen...