ABSTRACT
Phenolic compounds in food and nutraceuticals originate from one of the main classes of secondary metabolites in plants derived from phenylalanine and, to a lesser extent in some plants, also from tyrosine (Figure 1.1) (van Sumere, 1989; Shahidi, 2000, 2002). Chemically, phenolics can be defined as substances possessing an aromatic ring bearing one or more hydroxyl groups, including their functional derivatives. Their occurrence in animal tissues and nonplant materials is generally due to the ingestion of plant foods. Synthetic phenolics may also enter the food system via their intentional incorporation in order to prevent oxidation of their lipid components.
