Evaluation of the Effect of Temperature on Total Phenolic Content, Total Flavonoid Content and Free radical Scavenging Activity in Chia Seeds (Salvia hispanica L.) Tea

Chia seeds are obtained from the plant Salvia hispanica (Family: Lamiaceae) and they are known to have multiple health benefits. This study was aimed to provide preliminary data on the optimum temperature in Chia seed tea preparation. The main objective of this study was to examine on the effect of preparation temperatures on the in vitro antioxidant activities of Chia seed tea. The Total Phenolic Content (TPC), Total Flavonoid Content (TFC), and radical scavenging activity determined by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay of Chia seeds were determined by using colourimetric methods. Tests were performed in triplicate and results were analysed using Tukey’s test. Based on the result obtained, a significantly increased (p<0.05) in the TPC was observed in the Chia seed tea at 80°C (4.3%) when compared to 4°C. Moreover, a significant increase (p<0.05) in the TFC was also observed in Chia seed tea at 80°C (69.7%) when compared to 4°C. Additionally, Chia seed tea at 80°C shows a significant increase (p<0.05) of 13.3% when compared to 4°C in radical scavenging activity. In conclusion, 80°C is the optimum temperature for preparation of Chia seed tea as it shows the highest TFC and hence the highest free radical scavenging activity was observed.