April 21/Tsukuba, Japan/Food Business Week -- According to a study from Tsukuba, Japan, "The antioxidant capacity of lignin from used green tea leaves was evaluated by measuring its effects on the autoxidation of linoleic acid."

"Autoxidation of linoleic acid was reduced by 50% in the presence of tea leaf lignin. This effect was weaker than that of alpha-tocopherol and t-butylhydroxyanisole," wrote K. Toh and colleagues, University of Tsukuba.

The researchers concluded, "However, lignin enhanced the antioxidant effects of alpha-tocopherol, epigallocatechin gallate or acetone extracts of used tea leaves, with the antioxidant activity of lignin + acetone extracts of used tea leaves being nearly equivalent to that of a-tocopherol and t-butylhydroxyanisole."

Toh and colleagues published their study in the Journal of Food Biochemistry ("Antioxidant Capacity of Lignin From Green Tea Waste." Journal of Food Biochemistry, 2010;34(Suppl. 1):192-206).

For more information, contact K. Toh, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 10 Noudai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 3058577, Japan.

From the April 26, 2010, Prepared Foods E-dition