The Polyphenol Profile and Antioxidant Potential of Irradiated Rye Grains

The irradiation process extends the cereal grain storage period, but also affects their chemical composition and antioxidants properties. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of gamma irradiation on the content of total polyphenols, flavonoids, and tannins as well as the quantitative and qualitative profile of polyphenols in rye grains. The potential antioxidant capacity was also evaluated. The irradiation process resulted in an average increase of 10% of the total phenolic content as compared to the raw material, with each of the analyzed varieties reacting in different manners. The amount of tannins increased after irradiation at a constant level regardless of the applied gamma ray doses in the all analyzed rye grain varieties. The antiradical and antioxidant activity of rye grains after the irradiation process did not change or was reduced.