A study of the antioxidant capacity of oak wood used in wine ageing and the correlation with polyphenol composition

The antioxidant capacity of oak wood used in the ageing of wine was studied by four different methods: measurement of scavenging capacity against a given radical (ABTS, DPPH), oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) and the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). Although the four methods tested gave comparable results for the antioxidant capacity measured in oak wood extracts, the ORAC method gave results with some differences compared to the other methods. Non-toasted oak wood samples displayed more antioxidant power than toasted ones due to differences in the polyphenol composition. A correlation analysis revealed that ellagitannins were the compounds mainly responsible for the antioxidant capacity of oak wood. Some phenolic acids, mainly gallic acid, also showed a significant correlation with antioxidant capacity.