Commentary: Molecular mechanisms of true and apparent antioxidant synergism in foods

Antioxidant synergism in foods is widely reported, but its mechanistic interpretation remains inconsistent across experimental systems and assay conditions. This commentary clarifies the distinction between true synergism, driven by reversible regeneration and transient multicomponent associations in structured matrices, and apparent synergism arising from covalent product formation or additive effects. By integrating thermodynamic constants with kinetic and spectrometric evidence, we propose an analytical hierarchy for reliable classification of antioxidant interactions. This framework provides a mechanistic basis and a cautious path toward predicting the rational formulation and evaluation of antioxidant systems in complex food matrices.