Antioxidative capacity of different kinds of chocolate as a function of their cocoa content

Antixodative capacity and total phenolic content, resp., of different chocolates with varying cocoa content were determined by means of three different methods. The BR method works at pH < 2 which approximately corresponds to the pH of the human stomach [gastric fluids], white the TEAC method works at pH 7.4 corresponding to the pH of human blood. The third method to determine total phenolic content by means of the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent has frequently been described in the literature as an indicator of antioxidative capacity. Antioxidants had to be extracted from the chocolates first. The results have shown a high correlation among cocoa content, antioxidative activity and total phenolic content.