Effect of different conditioning treatments on total phenolic content and antioxidant activities in two Sargassacean species: Comparison of the frondose <i>Sargassum muticum</i> (Yendo) Fensholt and the cylindrical <i>Bifurcaria bifurcata</i> R. Ross

SUMMARY The effects of different conditioning treatments (fresh, freezing, freeze‐drying, oven‐drying and greenhouse‐drying) on the total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activities of two brown algae, Sargassum muticum and Bifurcaria bifurcata, were investigated and compared. Phenolic compounds were extracted in a methanol/water (50:50) solution, and TPC was measured by the colorimetric Folin‐Ciocalteu assay. Antioxidant activity was assessed by the DPPH (2, 2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging assay and the β‐carotene bleaching method. The dried seaweeds showed lower phenolic contents and lower antioxidant capacities than the fresh and frozen ones, which suggests that the phenolic content and antioxidant activities are decreased by the drying treatments, especially, oven‐ and greenhouse‐drying. Relationships between TPC, antioxidant properties and conditioning treatments are discussed.