This study investigated the phenolic composition and antioxidant activities of aqueous infusions from wild-grown caper (Capparis spinosa L.) and sea fennel (Crithmum maritimum L.) from the Dalmatia region (Croatia) before and after their submission to an in vitro digestion process. HPLC/UV-vis-DAD/ESI-MS analysis of the caper infusion identified rutin, kaempferol 3-O-rutinoside, and isorhamnetin 3-O-rutinoside as dominant flavonoids in the matrix together with a series of cinnamoylquinic acid derivatives, whereas in the sea fennel aqueous infusion chlorogenic acid (5-caffeoylquinic acid), its isomers, and higher derivatives were identified as almost the sole class of phenolics. Both infusions exhibited good and dose-dependent antioxidant activity before in vitro digestion by the DPPH method, the β-carotene bleaching method, and copper-induced oxidation of human LDL. The amount of total phenolics (Folin-Ciocalteu assay) strongly decreased in digested samples (from 3.0 and 2.2% in caper and sea fennel infusions, respectively, to <1.0%), as did their antioxidant activity as measured by the three aforesaid methods. The results showed that the majority of phenolic compounds detected in both infusions are not stable under applied simulated gastrointestinal conditions and that the stability of these secondary metabolites strongly depends on the nature of the corresponding matrix.

In this study, essential oils from wild‐grown caper (Capparis spinosa L.) and sea fennel (Crithmum maritimum L.) from Dalmatia (Croatia) were isolated by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry. Methyl isothiocyanate (92.06%) was detected as major component of essential oil from caper leaves and flower buds, while limonene (58.37%), sabinene (26.46%), terpinene‐4‐ol (5.59%) and γ‐terpinene (2.81%) were identified as dominant compounds in sea fennel essential oil. Tested essential oils did not exhibit radical‐scavenging activity by 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl hydrate method, while they showed the antioxidant activity by β‐carotene bleaching method and thiobarbituric acid reactive species assay. In addition, sea fennel essential oil exhibited very high inhibitory effect on the oxidation of human low‐density lipoprotein. PRACTICAL APLICATIONS Antioxidants are indispensable for the food preservation from oxidative deterioration, as well as for the protection of unsaturated lipids in animal and human tissues. Therefore, the usage of essential oil in foods, which may act as natural antioxidant preservatives, may prolong the shelf life of relevant food products, as well as influence on health of consumers. Essential oils from caper and sea fennel represent alternative for synthetic antioxidants and potential of functional food.

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