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primary topic: Thermal activation in oxidative model drives catechin assembly into theaflavins with enhanced antioxidant capacity

Thermal activation in oxidative model drives catechin assembly into theaflavins with enhanced antioxidant capacity
type: AcademicArticle
type: Article
abstract: Theaflavins are important bioactive pigments in tea, but their non-enzymatic formation pathways under heating remain incompletely understood. This study investigated the temperature-dependent formation of four theaflavins using aqueous catechin model systems. Potassium ferricyanide was used as a controlled oxidant to initiate catechin oxidation and subsequent coupling reactions. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis), DPPH and ABTS assays were applied to track product profiles and antioxidant capacity. Moderate temperatures promoted catechin oxidation to ortho-quinones and favored the accumulation of theaflavins, leading to higher antioxidant activity. Low temperatures limited conversion, whereas high temperatures accelerated precursor consumption and theaflavin degradation. Across all model systems, theaflavin levels peaked at 30 min and then declined with prolonged heating. Among the four products, TF3 showed the strongest thermoresponsive and the highest antioxidant capacity. These findings reveal a thermally activated catechin self-assembly mechanism in an oxidant-assisted model system.
date: 2026-02
volume: 508
is part of: Food Chemistry
status: peerReviewed
status: published
author list: authors
type: EPrint
type: ArticleEPrint
is part of: repository
subject: Nutrition

Food Chemistry
type: Collection
issn: 03088146

Shengxiong Chen
type: Person
given name: Shengxiong
family name: Chen

Hui Cao
type: Person
given name: Hui
family name: Cao

Zebin Zou
type: Person
given name: Zebin
family name: Zou

Yuxuan Zhao
type: Person
given name: Yuxuan
family name: Zhao

Jingyimei Liang
type: Person
given name: Jingyimei
family name: Liang

Haoming Wu
type: Person
given name: Haoming
family name: Wu

Rui Lu
type: Person
given name: Rui
family name: Lu

Jianbo Xiao
type: Person
given name: Jianbo
family name: Xiao

HTML Summary of #27556 Thermal activation in oxidative model drives catechin assembly into theaflavins with enhanced antioxidant capacity
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primary topic: Thermal activation in oxidative model drives catechin assembly into theaflavins with enhanced antioxidant capacity

Nutrition
type: Concept
preferred label: Alimentación @es