Abstract

Natural antioxidant-containing food powders are rich sources of bioactive compounds that may help reduce oxidative stress and support human health. This study employed ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), and electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy to investigate the molecular composition, functional groups, and antioxidant characteristics of selected plant-derived food powders, including acai, camu, red beet, and cacao. UV-Vis spectroscopy confirmed the presence of polyphenolic compounds, while FTIR analysis identified characteristic functional groups associated with these antioxidants. ESR spectroscopy demonstrated the presence of persistent organic radicals, consistent with the ability of antioxidant compounds to stabilize radical species. Comparative ESR analysis indicated that acai exhibited the strongest radical-stabilizing characteristics, as evidenced by its narrowest ESR linewidth (4.76 G), whereas red beet exhibited the weakest, with the broadest linewidth (8.26 G) under comparable experimental conditions. The combined spectroscopic findings provide complementary insights into the optical, structural, and paramagnetic characteristics of these antioxidant-containing food powders and support further investigation of their mechanisms of radical stabilization and potential role in mitigating oxidative damage.

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