Carotenoids, Polyphenols and Antioxidant Activity Evaluation in Stone-Grinded Wheat Semolina

The functional quality of stone grinded grain semolina, also related to the presence of secondary antioxidant metabolites, was evaluated by HPLC/DAD analysis and by in vitro spectrophotometric techniques. The total polyphenol content was determined with the Folin-Ciocalteau spectrophotometric method, while carotenoid content evaluation was performed by HPLC/DAD chromatographic analysis: the presence of lutein as the main compound ranging between 75 and 78.5 % of total carotenoids was pointed out. The chromatographic analyzes identified the presence of an indolacetic acid derivative whose content changed between 0.097 and 0.108 mg/g.