Abstract
The interest for safe and natural foods of animal origin is currently increasing the use of plant feed additives (PFA) as antioxidants in animal nutrition. However, studies with livestock animals dealing with PFA as antioxidants are scarce. The aim of the present review was to evaluate the antioxidant impact of PFA compared with synthetic vitamins on animal food product yield and quality. For this purpose, peer-reviewed studies published between 2000 and 2020 were collected. Most papers were carried out on ruminants (n = 13), but PFA were also tested in swine (n = 6) and rabbits (n = 2). The inclusion of PFA in the diets of pigs, rabbits, and ruminants improved the products’ quality (including organoleptic characteristics and fatty acids profile), oxidative stability, and shelf life, with some impacts also on their yields. The effects of PFA are diverse but often comparable to those of the synthetic antioxidant vitamin E, suggesting their potential as an alternative to this vitamin within the diet.
Highlights
Consumers are interested in safe and natural foods of animal origin, and in some cases, they are willing to pay a premium price for them [1,2]
The European Union has banned in-feed antibiotics in animal nutrition to prevent antibioticresistant bacteria, which has increased the interest in the use of plant feed additives (PFA)
The possibility of using PFA, such as essential oils, plant extracts, and in particular, plant food industry by-products, is of great interest since it is in harmony with the philosophy underlying environmental sustainability by reducing industry wastes [6,7]
Summary
Consumers are interested in safe and natural foods of animal origin, and in some cases, they are willing to pay a premium price for them [1,2]. The European Union has banned in-feed antibiotics in animal nutrition to prevent antibioticresistant bacteria, which has increased the interest in the use of plant feed additives (PFA). The possibility of using PFA, such as essential oils, plant extracts, and in particular, plant food industry by-products, is of great interest since it is in harmony with the philosophy underlying environmental sustainability by reducing industry wastes [6,7]. The PFA (phenolic acids, phenolic di-terpenes, flavonoids, and volatile oils) are considered natural antioxidants, because they are able to donate hydrogens and to interrupt the oxidative chain in tissues. PFA can trap free radicals and chelate metals. The free radical scavenging activity of PFA depends on the location and number of hydroxyl groups and their capacity to donor hydrogens to metals, which inhibit their
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
