A gold nanoparticle (AuNP)-based colorimetric assays have been applied to evaluate the total antioxidant capacities (TAC) of various food samples, while the potential endogenous polyphenol interaction effects on the AuNP assays are less explored. In this work, 12 representative polyphenols were strategically selected, and their corresponding AuNPs were synthesized and characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy, which conformed the formation of AuNPs. Then, the TAC of the polyphenols, alone and in their equimolar binary or ternary combinations, were estimated and their synergistic effects were evaluated. In addition, the matrix effects of endogenous components from 6 kinds of foods on the recovery of the TAC estimation of gallic acid and rutin were evaluated. Markedly stronger interaction effects and matrix effects were observed in the AuNP assay than in conventionally well-established methods, indicating that the validation and application of the AuNP assay for TAC evaluation should be fully studied and explored.
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