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A novel antioxidative assay based on direct current polarography has been developed. Quantification of antioxidative (AO) activity has been based on a decrease of hydrogen peroxide anodic current in the presence of antioxidants. An efficient experimental procedure, without any special pretreatment of analyzed samples, has been applied. Antioxidative activity of different kinds of commercial beers (dark, blond, and alcohol-free), some small-scale made special beers with medicinal herbs and mushroom extracts, extracts themselves, as well as individual phenolic components present in beer has been measured. In addition, changes of AO activity during the full-scale industrial process of beer production have been monitored. A strong correlation between results obtained and total phenolics content has been observed. The assay can be recommended for application in brewing industry, either to survey a process with the aim to optimize relevant technological factors or to analyze quality of final product.

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Total antioxidant (AO) activity of strong alcohol beverages such as wine and plum brandies, whiskeys, herbal and sweet fruit liqueurs have been assessed using a polarographic assay based on hydrogen peroxide scavenging (HPS). Rank of order of total AO activity, expressed as percentage of decrease of anodic oxidation current of hydrogen peroxide, was found analogous with total phenolic content estimated by Folin-Ciocalteau (FC) assay and radical scavenging capacity against the stable free radical 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). Application of the assay for surveying of a quarter century long maturation of plum brandy in oak barrel was demonstrated. In addition, influence of different storage conditions on preservation of AO activity of some herbal liqueurs was surveyed. Wide area of application of this simple, fast, low cost and reliable assay in analysis and quality monitoring of various strong alcohol beverages was confirmed.

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