POLYPHENOL CONTENT AND TOTAL ANTIOXIDANT CAPACITY OF PREPARATIONS IN A FOOD AND NUTRITION UNIT

Polyphenols play an essential role in mitigating oxidative stress and promoting health. The study aims to evaluate the supply of total polyphenols, their subclasses and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of foods and preparations in a Food and Nutrition Unit (FNU). This is a descriptive, observational, and cross-sectional study based on an analysis of the ingredients in the preparations offered at lunch at FNU. Data collection took place from October to November 2025. A total of eight menus and 88 culinary preparations were evaluated, stratified into: starter, main course (two omnivorous and vegan options), two garnish options, two side dishes, dessert and juice. The quantities of ingredients in the preparations and the number of diners for each day were recorded, obtaining the Net Per Capita (NPC). The ingredients were classified by daily menu and by omnivorous or vegan preparation. The Phenol-Explorer online database (version 3.6, 2015; http://phenol-explorer.eu/) was used to identify the polyphenol content, considering the values ​​expressed in milligrams of polyphenols per 100 grams of food. TAC was evaluated using the database proposed by Carlsen et al. (2010). The Student’s t-test was performed using the IBM SPSS Statistics software (version 27.0) with a significance level of p < 0.05. The menus contained varying amounts of polyphenols and subclasses, depending on the preparation type. Among the evaluated menus, Menu 1 showed polyphenol levels of 295.31 mg/100g, while Menu 4 presented 304.66 mg/100g. Flavonoids (64.63 mg/100g) and phenolic acids (184.78 mg/100g) were the prevalent subclasses in preparations such as orange juice and mashed potatoes. Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) differed significantly (p < 0.05) between vegan preparations (0.46 mmol/100g) and omnivorous preparations (0.23 mmol/100g), with the vegan rubacão (a traditional Brazilian risotto) (0.45 mmol/100g) providing the highest TAC. Polyphenol levels in this category did not differ significantly between omnivorous (10.50 mg/100g) and vegan (18.03 mg/100g) preparations (p > 0.05), showing that polyphenol content depends on the quantity, variety, and composition of the ingredients used. The findings on polyphenol quantities and TAC were expected, as preparations with higher proportions of vegetables, legumes, cereals, and other plant-based ingredients tend to have higher concentrations of bioactive compounds. Polyphenol provision in the menus varied widely. The importance of meals prepared with unprocessed or minimally processed plant-based foods is highlighted, as they contribute to polyphenol availability. Better planning and distribution of polyphenols within menus are emphasized, even while acknowledging that there is currently no dietary recommendation for the daily intake of these compounds.