2.4.1. Total Antioxidant Capacity

The total antioxidant capacity (TAC) was determined using the phosphomolybdenum method [19], which is based on the reduction of Mo6+ to Mo5+ by the sample and the subsequent formation of a greenish phosphate/Mo5+ complex. Tubes containing the samples and reagents (0.6 M sulfuric acid, 28 mM sodium phosphate and 4 mM ammonium molybdate) were incubated at 100 ◦C for 90 min. The absorbance of each solution was measured at wavelength of 695 nm against a blank. The TAC was expressed in relation to a

solution of ascorbic acid at a concentration of 1 mg/mL assumed to be 100%. All assays were carried out in triplicate.
