Quince (Cydonia oblonga Miller) fruit (pulp, peel, and seed) and Jam: antioxidant activity

To study the antioxidant activity of quince fruit (pulp, peel, and seed) and jam, methanolic extracts were prepared. Each extract was fractionated into a phenolic fraction and an organic acid fraction and was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)/diode array detection and HPLC/UV, respectively. Antiradical activities of the extracts and fractions were evaluated by a microassay using 1,1'-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl. The phenolic fraction always exhibited a stronger antioxidant activity than the whole methanolic extract. Organic acid extracts were always the weakest in terms of antiradical activity, which seems to indicate that the phenolic fraction gives a higher contribution for the antioxidant potential of quince fruit and jam. The evaluation of the antioxidant activity of methanolic extracts showed that peel extract was the one presenting the highest antioxidant capacity. The IC50 values of quince pulp, peel, and jam extracts were correlated with the caffeoylquinic acids total content. Among the phenolic fractions, the seed extract was the one that exhibited the strongest antioxidant activity. The IC50 values of quince pulp, peel, and jam phenolic extracts were strongly correlated with caffeoylquinic acids and phenolics total contents. For organic acid fractions, the peel extract was the one that had the strongest antiradical activity. The IC50 values of quince pulp, peel, and jam organic acid fractions were correlated with the ascorbic acid and citric acid contents.     

Antioxidant activity of indigenous edible mushrooms

The current study was undertaken to measure the antioxidant potential from water and methanolic extracts of fruiting bodies of 23 species of mushrooms naturally grown in different geographic locations of India. The antioxidant ability of each species was analyzed for the total antioxidative status, employing multimechanistic antioxidative assays such as inhibition of lipid peroxidation, determination of reducing power, and free radical scavenging ability, in addition to determination of total phenolics and identification of phenolic acids by HPLC analysis, because the phenolics are known to contribute largely to antioxidant potential. The antioxidant potential of these varieties of mushrooms was determined by summing the antioxidative activity (AOA) of each variety by varied antioxidant assays followed by determining the relative percent of AOA defined as the "antioxidant index" (AI). On the basis of the AI, the mushroom species were graded as very high, high, moderate, and low. Termitomyces heimii was identified as the best variety, which showed 100% AI with 37 mg of phenolics/g of sample, 418 units of reducing power ability (RPA)/g, and an IC50 of approximately 1.1 mg (dry weight)/mL, free radical scavenging activity (FRS) in the water extract followed by 11.2 mg of phenolics/g, 275 units of RPA/g, and an IC50 of approximately 2.7 mg (dry weight)/mL of FRS in the methanolic extract. Following T. heimii, Termitomyces mummiformis exhibited an AI of 86% within the "very high" group. Potent inhibitions of lipid peroxidation of approximately 100 and 69% was also observed in T. heimii and T. mummiformis, respectively. Water extracts ranged from 34 to 49% and methanolic extracts varied from 20 to 32% on dry weight of mushroom fruiting body. Total phenolic compounds were higher in the water extracts (2-37 mg/g) than in methanolic extract (0.7-11.2 mg/g). The AOA measured in the water extract was better than that from the methanolic extract. HPLC analysis of phenolic acids in the two mushroom species, namely, T. heimii and T. mummiformis, displaying maximum AOA potential indicated a preponderance of tannic acid, gallic acid, protocatacheuic acid, and gentisic acid. Studies thus provide the precise antioxidant status of 23 indigenous species of mushrooms, which can serve as a useful database for the selection of mushrooms for the function of preparation of mushroom-based nutraceutics.     

RP-HPLC analysis of the phenolic compounds of plant extracts. investigation of their antioxidant capacity and antimicrobial activity

Extracts of aromatic plants of Greek origin were examined as potential sources of phenolic compounds. RP-HPLC with UV detection was employed for the identification and quantification of the phenolic antioxidants, present in methanolic extracts. The most abundant phenolic acids were ferulic acid (1.1-280 mg/100 g of dry sample) and caffeic acid (1.2-60 mg/100 g of dry sample). (+)-Catechin and quercetin were the most abundant flavonoids. Apigenin and luteolin were detected in high amounts in Menta pulegium and Thymus vulgaris, respectively. The antioxidant capacity was determined, in dried ground plants and in their methanol extracts, with the Rancimat test using sunflower oil as substrate. Both pulverized plants and extracts showed antioxidant capacity. Total phenolic content in the extracts was determined spectrometrically according to the Folin-Ciocalteu assay and ranged from 1 to 21 mg of gallic acid/100 g of dry sample. Antimicrobial activity of the extracts against selected microbes was also conducted in this study.     

Antioxidant and antiradical activities in extracts of hazelnut kernel (Corylus avellana L.) and hazelnut green leafy cover

Phenolic compounds in the aqueous systems were extracted, from hazelnut kernel (HK) and hazelnut green leafy cover (HGLC), with 80% (v/v) ethanol (HKe and HGLCe) or 80% (v/v) acetone (HKa and HGLCa). The extracts were examined for their phenolic and condensed tannin contents and phenolic acid profiles (free and esterified fractions) as well as antioxidant and antiradical activities by total antioxidant activity (TAA), antioxidant activity in a beta-carotene-linoleate model system, scavenging of DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical, and reducing power. Significant differences (p < 0.05) in the contents of total phenolics, condensed tannins, and TAA existed among the extracts that were examined. HGLCa extract had the highest content of total phenolics (201 mg of catechin equivalents/g of extract), condensed tannins (542 mg of catechin equivalents/g of extract), and TAA (1.29 mmol of Trolox equivalents/g of extract) followed by HGLCe, HKa, and HKe extracts, respectively. Five phenolic acids (gallic acid, caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, and sinapic acid) were tentatively identified and quantified, among which gallic acid was the most abundant in both free and esterified forms. The order of antioxidant activity in a beta-carotene-linoleate model system, the scavenging effect on DPPH radical, and the reducing power in all extracts were in the following order: HGLCa > HGLCe > HKa > HKe. These results suggest that both 80% ethanol and acetone are capable of extracting phenolics, but 80% acetone was a more effective solvent for the extraction process. HGLC exhibited stronger antioxidant and antiradical activities than HK itself in both extracts and could potentially be considered as an inexpensive source of natural antioxidants.     

Online RP-HPLC-DPPH screening method for detection of radical-scavenging phytochemicals from flowers of Acacia confusa

Acacia confusa is traditionally used as a medicinal plant in Taiwan. In this study, phytochemicals and antioxidant activities of extracts from flowers of A. confusa were investigated for the first time. In addition, a rapid screening method, online RP-HPLC-DPPH system, for individual antioxidants in complex matrices was developed. Accordingly, six antioxidants including gallic acid ( 1), myricetin 3-rhamnoside ( 2), quercetin 3-rhamnoside ( 3), kaempferol 3-rhamnoside ( 4), europetin 3-rhamnoside ( 5), and rhamnetin 3-rhamnoside ( 6) were detected using the developed screening method. Of these, compounds 2, 3, and 5 were found to be major bioactive phytochemicals, and their contents were determined as 11.3, 6.7, and 8.7 mg/g of crude extract, respectively. By comparison with quercetin, a well-known antioxidant, these compounds had the order of compound 2 > compound 5 > quercetin > compound 3 for DPPH radical-scavenging activity. Their IC 50 values were 3.0, 3.2, 4.5, and 7.4 microM, respectively. Moreover, the same order was observed for superoxide radical-scavenging activity, and their IC50 values were 2.6, 2.7, 4.3, and 5.3 microM, respectively. However, for lipid peroxidation, quercetin, an aglycon, showed the best inhibitory activity. The IC50 values of quercetin, compound 2, compound 5, and compound 3 were 46.7, 88.5, 90.7, and 124.6 microM, respectively. These results indicated that a rhamnoside at the C3 position of flavonoids had a negative effect on radical-scavenging activity and antilipid peroxidation. In contrast, the number of hydroxyl groups on the B-ring exhibited a positive relationship with their inhibitory activities.     

Antioxidants and antioxidant activity of several pigmented rice brans

This study investigated the antioxidant content and activity of phenolic acids, anthocyanins, α-tocopherol and γ-oryzanol in pigmented rice (black and red rice) brans. After methanolic extraction, the DPPH free radical scavenging activity and antioxidant activity were measured. The pigmented rice bran extract had a greater reducing power than a normal rice bran extract from a long grain white rice. All bran extracts were highly effective in inhibiting linoleic acid peroxidation (60-85%). High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of antioxidants in rice bran found that γ-oryzanol (39-63%) and phenolic acids (33-43%) were the major antioxidants in all bran samples, and black rice bran also contained anthocyanins 18-26%. HPLC analysis of anthocyanins showed that pigmented bran was rich in cyanidin-3-glucoside (58-95%). Ferulic acid was the dominant phenolic acid in the rice bran samples. Black rice bran contained gallic, hydroxybenzoic, and protocatechuic acids in higher contents than red rice bran and normal rice bran. Furthermore, the addition of 5% black rice bran to wheat flour used for making bread produced a marked increase in the free radical scavenging and antioxidant activity compared to a control bread.     

Effect of far-infrared irradiation on the antioxidant activity of defatted sesame meal extracts

To determine the effect of far-infrared (FIR) irradiation on the antioxidant activities of sesame meal, half of sesame seeds were FIR-irradiated and then oil was extracted from the seeds. The resulting defatted sesame meal (DSM) was extracted with methanol, and the antioxidant activities of methanolic extract were determined. FIR irradiation of sesame seeds for 30 min increased the total phenol content from 34.0 to 59.0 muM and radical scavenging activity of DSM extracts from 26.40 to 68.76%. The induction time of lipid oxidation of oil added to extracts was also retarded from 0.82 to 0.96 h. According to the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis, several low molecular weight phenolic compounds, such as p-hydroxy benzoic acid, vanillic acid, p-coumaric acid, isoferulic acid, and o-coumaric acid, were frequently detected in FIR-irradiated DSM extracts as compared to unirradiated ones. These results indicated that FIR irradiation of sesame seeds increased the antioxidant activity of methanolic extracts of DSM.     

Antioxidant activity of plant extracts containing phenolic compounds.

The antioxidative activity of a total of 92 phenolic extracts from edible and nonedible plant materials (berries, fruits, vegetables, herbs, cereals, tree materials, plant sprouts, and seeds) was examined by autoxidation of methyl linoleate. The content of total phenolics in the extracts was determined spectrometrically according to the Folin-Ciocalteu procedure and calculated as gallic acid equivalents (GAE). Among edible plant materials, remarkable high antioxidant activity and high total phenolic content (GAE > 20 mg/g) were found in berries, especially aronia and crowberry. Apple extracts (two varieties) showed also strong antioxidant activity even though the total phenolic contents were low (GAE < 12.1 mg/g). Among nonedible plant materials, high activities were found in tree materials, especially in willow bark, spruce needles, pine bark and cork, and birch phloem, and in some medicinal plants including heather, bog-rosemary, willow herb, and meadowsweet. In addition, potato peel and beetroot peel extracts showed strong antioxidant effects. To utilize these significant sources of natural antioxidants, further characterization of the phenolic composition is needed.     

Valorization of cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L. var. botrytis) by-products as a source of antioxidant phenolics

The present study reports the development of two extraction protocols, with potential industrial applicability, to valorize cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L. var. botrytis) byproducts as a source of antioxidant phenolics. In addition, the nonionic polystyrene resin Amberlite XAD-2 was used to obtain purified extracts. The extract yield, phenolic content, phenolic yield, and correlation between the antioxidant activity and the phenolic content were studied. The water and ethanol protocols yield a phenolic content of 33.8 mg/g freeze-dried extract and 62.1 mg/g freeze-dried extract, respectively. This percentage increased considerably when the extracts were purified using Amberlite XAD-2 yielding a phenolic content of 186 mg/g freeze-dried extract (water extract) and 311.1 mg/g freeze-dried extract (ethanol extract). Cauliflower byproduct extracts showed significant free radical scavenging activity (vs both DPPH(*) and ABTS(*)(+) radicals), ferric reducing ability (FRAP assay), and capacity to inhibit lipid peroxidation (ferric thiocyanate assay). In addition, the antioxidant activity was linearly correlated with the phenolics content. The results obtained indicate that the cauliflower byproducts are a cheap source of antioxidant phenolics very interesting from both the industrial point of view and the possible usefulness as ingredients to functionalize foodstuffs.     

Antioxidant activity in common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

Beans were pearled to evaluate the feasibility of increasing antioxidant activity and phenolic antioxidants. Phenolics were concentrated mostly in the hull fraction at about 56 mg of catechin equivalents per gram of sample. The methanolic extracts of the pearled bean samples were screened for antioxidant potential using the beta-carotene-linoleate and the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) in vitro model systems. The pearled material, also referred to as milled samples, exhibited antioxidant activity that correlated with phenolic content and inhibited DPPH significantly in a dose-dependent manner. Phenolics and antioxidant activities were also examined in chromatographic fractions of methanolic extracts of manually obtained hulls that represented a model used previously to ascertain antimutagenic activity. Fractions extracted with ethyl acetate/acetone and acetone displayed antioxidant activity, which implies potent free radical scavenging activity with antimutagenic activity.     

Evaluation of extracts and isolated fraction from Capparis spinosa L. buds as an antioxidant source

The antioxidant activity of extracts from Capparis spinosa L. buds was evaluated using different in vitro tests: ascorbate/Fe(2+)-mediated lipid peroxidation of microsomes from rat liver; bleaching of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl radical; and autoxidation of Fe(2+) ion in the presence of bathophenanthroline disulfonate. The methanolic extract showed strong activities in all of these in vitro tests. The amount of total phenols was determined in the methanolic extract. In addition, the level of rutin was calculated as 0.39% (w/w) by HPLC analysis. Our findings indicate the following: (a) the antioxidant efficiency of the methanolic extract may be attributed to its phenolic content; and (b) the antioxidant activity of the methanolic extract was maintained after removal of glucosinolates, confirming that these compounds do not interfere with the antioxidant properties of the extract. The results obtained from this study exalt the nutritional value of the flowering buds (capers) which are widely used as a source of flavor.     

Polyphenols of pseudostem of different banana cultivars and their antioxidant activities

The present investigation is focused on potential use of banana pseudostem (BPS), which otherwise is disposed off as a waste or incinerated, as a source of polyphenols or antioxidants. The total phenolics (TP) and total flavonoids (TF) in various solvent extracts of pseudostem (PS) of different banana cultivars varied from 7.58 to 291 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE/g of extract) and from 4 to 80 mg catechin equivalent (CE/g of extract), respectively. Acetone extract showed high antioxidant activity (AOA) in all of the in vitro models tested, whereas methanol extract exhibited high metal chelating activity. Among the banana cultivars, Nanjanagudu Rasabale (NR) showed the highest TP (291 mg GAE/g of extract), TF (80 mg CE/g of extract), and AOA. A detailed study on phenolic acids by reverse phase HPLC and ESI-MS revealed the presence of phenolic acids such as gentisic acid, (+)-catechin, protocatechuic acid, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, and cinnamic acid in cultivar NR. The differences in AOA of banana cultivars are in accordance with their phenolic and flavonoid concentrations.     

Phenolic, flavonoid, and lutein ester content and antioxidant activity of 11 cultivars of chinese marigold

This study analyzed 11 Chinese cultivars of marigold to determine their major phytochemical contents and antioxidant activities. Dried marigold flowers were extracted with ethanol, ethyl acetate, and n-hexane and the extracts were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and chemical methods to determine their lutein esters, phenolic and flavonoid contents, and antioxidant activity, respectively. The different cultivars of marigold showed considerable variations in their lutein ester contents, ranging from 161.0 to 611.0 mg/100 g of flower (dry basis). The lutein esters in marigolds consisted predominantly of six all trans-diesters, but small amounts of cis isomers of the respective diesters were also present. The different cultivars of marigold also showed marked variations in total phenols and flavonoids, as well as antioxidant and radical-scavenging activities. Ethanol was confirmed to be the best solvent for extracting both phenols and flavonoids from marigold flowers, while n-hexane was the worst. The ethanolic extracts also exhibited the highest antioxidant and radical-scavenging activities. The cultivar Xinhong had the highest phenolic and flavonoid contents and radical-scavenging activity, as well as one of the highest lutein contents and antioxidant activities.     

Vitamin C equivalent antioxidant capacity (VCEAC) of phenolic phytochemicals

To express the antioxidant capacity of plant foods in a more familiar and easily understood manner (equivalent to vitamin C mg/100 g), two stable radical species, ABTS(*)(-) and DPPH(*), commonly used for antioxidant activity measurements, were employed independently to evaluate their efficacies using apple polyphenolic extracts and seven polyphenolic standards including synthetic Trolox. Their antioxidant activities were expressed as vitamin C equivalent antioxidant capacity (VCEAC) in mg/100 g apple or mg/100 mL of the reference chemical compounds in 10 and 30 min using the ABTS(*)(-) and DPPH(*) scavenging assays, respectively. The antioxidant capacity of Gala apples and seven phenolic standards, determined by both ABTS(*)(-) and DPPH(*) scavenging assays, showed a dose-response of the first-order. Fresh Gala apples had a VCEAC of 205.4 +/- 5.6 mg/100 g using the ABTS assay, and the relative VCEACs of phenolic standards were as follows: gallic acid > quercetin > epicatechin > catechin > vitamin C > rutin > chlorogenic acid > Trolox. With the DPPH radical assay, the VCEAC of fresh Gala apples was 136.0 +/- 6.6 mg/100 g, and the relative VCEACs of seven phenolic standards were, in decreasing order, as follows: gallic acid > quercetin > epicatechin > catechin > or = vitamin C > Trolox > rutin > chlorogenic acid. Because the ABTS assay can be used in both organic and aqueous solvent systems, employs a specific absorbance at a wavelength remote from the visible region, and requires a short reaction time, it is a more desirable method than the DPPH assay. Therefore, it is recommended that antioxidant capacity be expressed as vitamin C mg/100 g equivalent (VCEAC) using the ABTS assay.     

Determination of total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of garlic (Allium sativum) and elephant garlic (Allium ampeloprasum) by attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy

The total phenolic contents and antioxidant activities of garlics from California, Oregon, Washington, and New York were determined by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy (400-4000 cm(-1)). The total phenolic content was quantified [Folin-Ciocalteu assay (FC)] and three antioxidant activity assays, 2,2-diphenyl-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) assay, and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), were employed for reference measurements. Four independent partial least-squares regression (PLSR) models were constructed with spectra from 25 extracts and their corresponding FC, DPPH, TEAC, and FRAP with values for 20 additional extracts predicted (R > 0.95). The standard errors of calibration and standard error of cross-validation were <1.45 (TEAC), 0.36 (FRAP), and 0.33 μmol Trolox/g FW (DPPH) and 0.55 mg gallic acid/g FW (FC). Cluster and dendrogram analyses could segregate garlic grown at different locations. Hydroxyl and phenolic functional groups most closely correlated with garlic antioxidant activity.     

Antioxidant activity and total phenolics in selected cereal grains and their different morphological fractions

The purpose of this study was to examine the antioxidant properties of water and 80% methanolic extracts of cereal grains and their different morphological fractions. Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cv. Almari and cv. Henika, barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) cv. Gregor and cv. Mobek, rye (Secale cereale L.) cv. Dańkowskie Zlote, oat (Avena sativa L.) cv. Slawko and buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) cv. Kora were used. PC (L-alpha-phosphatidylcholine) liposome system and spectrophotometric assay of total antioxidant activity (TAA) were used to evaluate the antioxidative activity of extracts. Among the water extracts, only the one prepared from buckwheat exhibited antioxidant activity at the concentration analyzed. The following hierarchy of antioxidant activity was provided for 80% methanolic extracts originated from whole grain: buckwheat > barley > oat > wheat congruent with rye. The antioxidant activity was observed in extract prepared from separated parts of buckwheat and barley. In respect to hulls, the antioxidant hierarchy was as follows: buckwheat > oat > barley. The correlation coefficient between total phenolic compounds and total antioxidative activity of the extracts was -0.35 for water extracts and 0.96, 0.99, 0.80, and 0.99 for 80% methanolic extracts originated from whole grains, hulls, pericarb with testa fractions and endosperm with embryo fractions, respectively.     

Safety and antioxidant activity of a pomegranate ellagitannin-enriched polyphenol dietary supplement in overweight individuals with increased waist size

The consumption of pomegranate juice (PJ), a rich source of antioxidant polyphenols, has grown tremendously due to its reported health benefits. Pomegranate extracts, which incorporate the major antioxidants found in pomegranates, namely, ellagitannins, have been developed as botanical dietary supplements to provide an alternative convenient form for consuming the bioactive polyphenols found in PJ. Despite the commercial availability of pomegranate extract dietary supplements, there have been no studies evaluating their safety in human subjects. A pomegranate ellagitannin-enriched polyphenol extract (POMx) was prepared for dietary supplement use and evaluated in two pilot clinical studies. Study 1 was designed for safety assessment in 64 overweight individuals with increased waist size. The subjects consumed either one or two POMx capsules per day providing 710 mg (435 mg of gallic acid equivalents, GAEs) or 1420 mg (870 mg of GAEs) of extracts, respectively, and placebo (0 mg of GAEs). Safety laboratory determinations, including complete blood count (CBC), chemistry, and urinalysis, were made at each of three visits. Study 2 was designed for antioxidant activity assessment in 22 overweight subjects by administration of two POMx capsules per day providing 1000 mg (610 mg of GAEs) of extract versus baseline measurements. Measurement of antioxidant activity as evidenced by thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in plasma were measured before and after POMx supplementation. There was evidence of antioxidant activity through a significant reduction in TBARS linked with cardiovascular disease risk. There were no serious adverse events in any subject studied at either site. These studies demonstrate the safety of a pomegranate ellagitannin-enriched polyphenol dietary supplement in humans and provide evidence of antioxidant activity in humans.     

Lettuce and chicory byproducts as a source of antioxidant phenolic extracts

A process to obtain enriched antioxidant phenolic extracts from lettuce (baby, romaine, and iceberg cultivars) and chichory byproducts as a way to valorize these byproducts was developed. Two extraction protocols using water and methanol as solvent were used. Amberlite XAD-2 nonionic polymeric resin was used to purify the extracts. The extraction yield, phenolic content, and phenolic yield were evaluated as well as the antioxidant capacity of the extracts (DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays). Baby and romaine lettuce byproducts showed the highest water extract yields [27 and 26 g of freeze-dried extracts/kg of byproduct fresh weight (fw), respectively], whereas baby and iceberg lettuce showed highest methanol extract yields (31 and 23 g of freeze-dried extracts/kg of byproduct fw, respectively). Methanol extraction yielded a raw extract with a high phenolic content, the baby and chicory extracts being the richest with approximately 50 mg of phenolics/g of freeze-dried extract. Regarding the purified extracts, water extraction yielded a higher phenolic content, baby and chicory being also the highest with mean values of approximately 190 and 300 mg of phenolics/g of freeze-dried extract, respectively. Both raw and purified extracts from baby and chicory showed the higher antioxidant contents (DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays). The antioxidant capacity was linearly correlated with the phenolic content. The results obtained indicate that lettuce byproducts could be, from the industrial point of view, an interesting and cheap source of antioxidant phenolic extracts to funcionalize foodstuffs.     

Solid‐State Bioprocessing with Cordyceps militaris Enhanced Antioxidant Activity and DNA Damage Protection of Red Beans (Phaseolus angularis)

In this study, red beans were bioprocessed by using a novel solid‐state fermentation (SSF) with an edible and medical filamentous fungus Cordyceps militaris . The effect of SSF on the total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant activity, and DNA damage protection of red beans was determined. Furthermore, solvents with different polarities (80% methanol, 80% ethanol, 80% acetone, and deionized water) were used to extract antioxidant compounds from the red bean samples. The results indicated that SSF significantly enhanced TPC, 2,2‐azinobis(3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulfonic acid) diammonium salt radical cation scavenging activity, reducing power, and chelating ability of red beans. Furthermore, this study also demonstrated that fermented red beans exhibited greater protection against oxidative DNA damage than nonfermented red beans. Besides, the water extract of fermented red beans showed the highest TPC, antioxidant activity, and DNA damage protection among the various extracts examined. For the specific phenolics profile, HPLC analysis was performed, which showed that gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, p‐hydroxybenzoic acid, syringic acid, ferulic acid, daidzein, quercetin, and genistein of red beans were increased during SSF. There was a positive correlation among phenolic compounds, antioxidant activity, and DNA damage protection. Thus, this study demonstrated that SSF with C. militaris is an effective method for the enhancement of phenolic compounds, antioxidant activity, and DNA damage protection of red beans.