Total Phenolic Content: Traditional Methods

Phenolic compounds are considered one of the most important chemical substances in wines due to their antioxidant activity and efficiency in minimizing cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, inflammation, and cancer incidence. Due to this health benefits, consumers are seeking foods and beverages with a natural composition and low processing, rich in phenolic compounds to improve the quality of their diet. The phenolic compounds are divided into flavonoid (anthocyanins, flavonols, flavan-3-ols) and non-flavonoid (phenolic acids and stilbenes) substances, and the antioxidant capacity of a food matrix depends on the concentration and the diversity of these compounds since all of them promote antioxidant properties. Traditional methods are used to determine total phenolic compounds in grapes and wines, and the most known apply spectrophotometric assays. This chapter aims to provide relevant information regarding the principal spectrophotometric methods used to determine the total phenolic compounds in wines.