Hydrophilic Antioxidant Capacity Research Articles

Performance and meat quality in pigs fed hydrolysable tannins from Tara spinosa

This study aimed to assess the effect of dietary tara (Tara spinosa (Feuillée ex Molina) Britton & Rose) hydrolysable tannins on performance and meat quality of finishing pigs. Twenty barrows (crossbred PIC × Piétrain; age: 125 ± 5 d; bodyweight: 60.8 ± 3.89 kg) were randomly assigned to two groups and fed ad libitum for 7 weeks a control diet (CON) or a diet supplemented with 10 g/kg of tara tannins (TAT), respectively. No differences (P > 0.10) on growth performance and carcass traits were observed between the two groups. Meat fatty acid profile was not affected (P > 0.10) by the diet, but the content of C22:5 n-3 tended to be lower (P = 0.079) in TAT pork. Dietary tannins tended to reduce (P = 0.095) meat cholesterol. The diet had no effect (P > 0.10) on fat-soluble antioxidant vitamins, hydrophilic antioxidant capacity, catalase activity, and glutathione peroxidase activity. Superoxide dismutase activity tended to be lower (P = 0.087) in TAT meat than in CON meat. Dietary tannins did not affect (P > 0.10) backfat and meat color development during 6 days of refrigerated storage, but TAT meat tended to be darker (P = 0.082). Meat from pigs fed tara tannins showed lower (P = 0.028) hydroperoxides content and a tendency toward lower conjugated dienes (P = 0.079) and malondialdehyde (P = 0.084) contents. Also, dietary tannins delayed lipid oxidation in meat subjected to oxidative challenges such as catalysis and cooking (P < 0.05). The positive effect of dietary tara hydrolysable tannins on lipid oxidation was likely due to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacity, but it may have been mitigated by the high α-tocopherol content in meat.

Oxidative stress evaluation in patients with chronic Chagas disease.

Chagas disease (CD), caused by protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi), is a neglected disease that affects millions of people worldwide. The parasite clearance by the immune cells is accomplished by the activation of inflammation and production of reactive oxygen species, including nitric oxide (NO) that can lead to tissue injury and DNA damage. On the other hand, to balance the oxidative environment and decrease free radicals, there is an antioxidant system composed of enzymes and vitamins. The aim was to evaluate oxidative stress parameters in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients with Chagas disease. Participants were divided into three groups: indeterminate CD (asymptomatic, n=8), CD with cardiac/digestive involvement (symptomatic, n=14), and Control healthy individuals (n=20). The following parameters were analyzed: DNA damage, NO serum levels, hydrophilic antioxidant capacity (HAC) and vitamin E. Symptomatic patients showed increased DNA damage and NO levels and lower HAC and vitamin E levels compared to asymptomatic patients and control subjects. It is possible to conclude that CD patients with clinical symptoms have higher oxidative stress, characterized by increased DNA damage and NO levels, and reduced antioxidant capacity and vitamin E levels.

Feeding hazelnut skin to lambs delays lipid oxidation in meat

This study aimed to investigate the effect of dietary hazelnut skin (HNS), a by-product of confectionery industry, on the oxidative stability of lamb meat. Twenty-two finishing lambs were randomly assigned to 2 groups and fed ad libitum for 56 days on different concentrate-based diets: one control and one experimental, in which 150 g/kg of corn was replaced by HNS. After slaughter, the fat-soluble vitamins content and hydrophilic antioxidant capacity were assessed in fresh meat, as well as color, lipid and protein stability over 7 days of shelf-life trial. Dietary HNS increased (P < 0.001) the tocopherols content of meat and reduced (P < 0.001) lipid oxidation during 7 days of refrigerated storage. Meat from lambs fed HNS showed different (P < 0.05) instrumental color parameters. No diet effect (P > 0.05) was observed on the development of metmyoglobin, hydroperoxides, thiol groups, and carbonyl groups. Feeding HNS to lambs improves the oxidative stability of raw meat by delaying lipid oxidation thanks to the antioxidant molecules (tocopherols and phenolic compounds) contained in this by-product.

Functional sugar-free chewing gum infused with spices bolsters antioxidant capacity and phenolic content of saliva

Oral and vascular diseases are seemingly disparate conditions, yet individuals with poor oral health are at increased risk for cardiovascular events. Spice-derived bioactive polyphenols with antioxidant functionality may attenuate mechanisms linking the diseases, namely oxidative stress and inflammation. Acknowledging that novel approaches to increase antioxidant intake are warranted, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of two functional sugar-free gums infused with spices on antioxidant capacity and phenolic content of saliva using the oxygen radical absorbance capacity and Folin-Ciocalteu assays, respectively. Unstimulated followed by stimulated saliva was collected according to a validated method across a prescribed five minute chewing period. Both gums significantly increased hydrophilic, lipophilic, and total antioxidant capacity of saliva (p < 0.05) yet to varying extents. Phenolic content of saliva was significantly higher (p < 0.001) post-chew for both gums. Results suggest spices infused into sugar-free chewing gum bolster the antioxidant capacity of saliva, thereby promoting oral health. Research evaluating the sublingual absorption of spice-derived antioxidants in functional gums and their influence on systemic oxidative stress is warranted.

Juices and By-Products of Red-Fleshed Sweet Oranges: Assessment of Bioactive and Nutritional Compounds.

The content of nutrients and bioactive compounds, and antioxidant capacity were assessed in the juices from two red-fleshed oranges, Cara Cara and Kirkwood, and compared with that of a standard Navel orange. Two juice extraction procedures, hand-squeezing and industrial, and two treatments, pasteurization (85 °C/30 s) and high-pressure homogenization (HPH, 150 MPa/55 °C/1 min), were evaluated. For most of the nutrients and bioactive compounds, the hand and industrial juice squeezing rendered similar extraction efficiency. Individual composition of carotenoids in the juices were differentially affected by the extraction procedure and the treatments, but the red-fleshed orange juices contained between 3- to 6-times higher total carotenoids than the standard Navel juices, being phytoene and phytofluene the main carotenoids. The industrial and treated juices of both red-fleshed oranges contained 20-30% higher amounts of tocopherols but about 20% lower levels of vitamin C than Navel juices. Navel juices exhibited higher hydrophilic antioxidant capacity, while the red-fleshed orange juices showed an improved lipophilic antioxidant capacity. The main distinctive characteristic of the industrial juice by-product of the red-fleshed oranges was a higher content of carotenoids (×10) and singlet oxygen antioxidant capacity (×1.5-2) than the Navel by-product.

Retraction: Evaluating the hydrophilic antioxidant capacity in different citrus genotypes

Retraction: Evaluating the hydrophilic antioxidant capacity in different citrus genotypes

Bioactive Compounds, Nutritional Quality and Antioxidant Capacity of the Red-Fleshed Kirkwood Navel and Ruby Valencia Oranges.

Kirkwood Navel and Ruby Valencia are two spontaneous bud-mutations of the ordinary Washington Navel and Valencia late oranges characterized by the red coloration of their flesh. The purpose of this study was to analyze the physiological features, internal fruit quality, contents of relevant bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity in the pulps of the red-fleshed fruits compared with the ordinary oranges during late development and maturation. In general, the content of sugars, organic acids, vitamin C, tocopherols, total phenolics and flavonoids, the hydrophilic antioxidant capacity and their changes during maturation were similar in the red-fleshed oranges and in the corresponding blond oranges. However, the mature Ruby fruits contained lower concentrations of sugars, malic and succinic acid and higher levels of citric acid than the ordinary Valencia. The major difference between the pulps of the Kirkwood and Ruby oranges and those of the ordinary oranges was the higher lipophilic antioxidant capacity and SOAC (singlet oxygen absorption capacity) of the former. Together, the high and unique content and composition of carotenoids in Kirkwood and Ruby may contribute to an enhanced antioxidant capacity without any detrimental effects on other fruit-quality attributes, making these varieties good sources of phytochemicals for the fresh-fruit and juice-processing citrus industries.

Surface disinfection influences the antioxidant capacity and GABA content of saline‐treated brown rice (Oryza sativa L.)

AbstractBackground and ObjectiveSaline‐induced osmotic stress can help enhance the functionality of brown rice (BR; Oryza sativa L.); moreover, it can increase the antioxidant capacity and gamma‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) content in BR. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the effect of surface disinfection on the antioxidant capacity and GABA content of saline‐treated BR.FindingsGABA content of nondisinfected BR decreased significantly with increasing salinity. In contrast, GABA content and hydrophilic antioxidant capacity of disinfected BR increased with increasing salinity up to 1.0% w/v, as evidenced by the increase in 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and oxygen radical absorbance capacity values, and total phenolic content of disinfected BR. Additionally, the amino acid and protein contents of both disinfected and nondisinfected BR were significantly affected by saline treatments.ConclusionsOverall, the findings of this study showed that soaking disinfected BR in saline solutions (0.5%–1% w/v) can increase hydrophilic antioxidant capacity and GABA content without negatively affecting metabolic processes.Significance and NoveltyOur findings provide the validation of basic food processing steps for the enhancement of BR functionality via saline treatment.

Evaluating the impact of feeding dried distillers grains with solubles on Boer goat growth performance, meat color stability, and antioxidant capacity.

A total of 72 male Boer goat kids (21.7 ± 0.5 kg) were fed for 21 d with 3 kids per pen and 12 pens per treatment. Dietary treatments were: 0% inclusion of dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS; 0% DDGS) or 33% DDGS inclusion (33% DDGS) and were provided ad libitum. Goats and feeders were weighed weekly to collect body weights (BW) and determine feed disappearance in order to calculate average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), and feed efficiency (G:F). At the conclusion of the feeding study, a subset (n = 30; 2–3 goats from each pen representing six6 pens per treatment) of goats were harvested, carcasses evaluated, and loins were fabricated into 2.54 cm chops. Goat chop discoloration was evaluated by trained panelists and measured for L*, a*, and b* values on days 0, 4, 7, and 10 under retail display conditions. Samples were collected and analyzed for lipid oxidation, fatty acid profile, and hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidant capacity. No evidence of differences was observed for final BW, ADFI, G:F, and carcass characteristics (P > 0.05). However, goats fed the 0% DDGS diet had greater ADG compared with those fed a diet containing 33% DDGS (P = 0.05). Overall, visual evaluation of discoloration, L*, a*, and b* as well as lipid oxidation data confirmed that feeding 33% DDGS to goats had no effect on goat chop discoloration and lipid oxidation (P > 0.10). However, all chops demonstrated a display effect, which they increased in visual discoloration and lipid oxidation and decreased in a* and b* values (P < 0.01) over the entirety of the 10-d period of retail display, regardless of the dietary treatments. As expected, feeding 33% DDGS to goats decreased relative percentage of multiple and total monounsaturated fatty acids, but increased relative percentage of multiple and total polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA; P < 0.05). The antioxidant capacity measurements showed no treatment difference in the hydrophilic portion (P > 0.10), but chops from the 33% DDGS treatment had greater lipophilic antioxidant activity compared with the 0% DDGS chops (P < 0.05). In conclusion, including 33% DDGS to the diet may negatively impact goat growth performance, but did not impact any carcass characteristics. Feeding a diet with 33% DDGS resulted in an increase in the PUFA content of goat chops but did not appear to impact meat color or lipid oxidation. The supposed negative consequence from increased PUFA is likely counterbalanced by the increased antioxidant capacity in the lipid component of meat, resulting in no difference in meat shelf-life.

Methyl salicylate affects the lipophilic and hydrophilic antioxidant capacities of apricot by regulating carotenoid biosynthesis and phenolic metabolism

The carotenoid biosynthesis and phenolic metabolism were studied to explain the effect of methyl salicylate (MeSA) on the lipophilic antioxidant capacity (LAC) and hydrophilic antioxidant capacity (HAC) in apricot during postharvest storage. Our results indicated that the HAC of apricot was higher than LAC and mainly responsible for total antioxidant capacity of apricot. Preharvest spraying of MeSA (0.2 mmol L−1) could improve the value of HAC but declined LAC of apricot. The enhanced HAC in MeSA treated apricot was positively related to the increased content of phenolics, especially to (+)-catechin, which was catalyzed by the enzymes related to phenolic metabolism. While, the decline of LAC in apricot treated by MeSA could be attributed to the inhibition of carotenoids accumulation, which was regulated by carotenogenic genes. We concluded that MeSA could affect the lipophilic and hydrophilic antioxidant capacity of apricot by regulating carotenoid biosynthesis and phenolic metabolism.

Evaluating the hydrophilic antioxidant capacity in different citrus genotypes

Antioxidants are the body's defense system against the damage caused by reactive oxygen species, formed naturally during many physiological activities. In vegetables and fruits, various antioxidant compounds such as vitamin C, polyphenols, flavonoids, and carotenoids have been identified. Because fruits and vegetables are the primary antioxidant sources in our daily diet, it is necessary to determine their antioxidant capacity. Citrus fruit consumption per capita has steadily increased over the world over the last 30 years. Citrus fruits are high in vitamin C as well as other active ingredients like phenols and flavonoids that are beneficial to human health. Using carotenoid complement and pigmentation genetic diversity, the objective of this research was to see how vitamin C and carotenoids contributed to the capacity of hydrophilic antioxidants of the citrus fruits’ pulp. Six citrus cultivars were chosen for this purpose: two sweet orange genotypes, Valencia Ruby and Valencia Late; two grapefruit genotypes, Star Ruby and Marsh; and two mandarin genotypes, Nadorcott and Clemenules. In proportion to their color singularity, total carotenoid composition and content in fruit pulp differed dramatically. A good and clear connection was found between hydrophilic antioxidant capacity and vitamin C concentration in the pulp of various fruit species, as measured by DPPH and ABTS tests. The proportion of vitamin C to the total HAC was calculated to be between 15% and 30%.

Enzymatic pre-treatment in cold pressing: Influence on flaxseed, apricot kernel and grape seed oils

A commercial enzyme preparation consisting of pectolytic, cellulotic and hemicellulotic enzymes was applied to the oil extraction by cold pressing from apricot kernel, flaxseed and grape seed. The effects of enzyme pre-treatment varied depending on the different oil seed used as raw material. Although the increase in free fatty acidity can be considered as a negative effect (from 0.37 to 0.52), the decrease in peroxide number and p-anisidine values, increase in oil yield (22.75%), higher levels of total carotenoids and tocopherols, as well as a remarkable increase in phenolic content (x1.68) and radical scavenging effect (including hydrophilic and lipophilic-induced and total antioxidant capacity) showed that the use of enzyme application in the cold pressing of apricot kernel oil would be beneficial. Many of these positive results could not be achieved in the pressing of flaxseed or grape seed oils under the same conditions. A high negative correlation (r=-92.2) was found between p-anisidine value and δ-tocopherol for grapeseed oil. Hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidant capacity, total phenolics, and total carotenoids negatively correlated well (r values above 80) with peroxide values for apricot seed oil. Correlation results showed that carotenoids play an important role in the oxidative stability of the oils, where it was much more evident for apricot seed oil (r=-97.5).

Evaluation of Hydrophilic and Lipophilic Antioxidant Capacity in Spanish Tomato Paste: Usefulness of Front-Face Total Fluorescence Signal Combined with Parafac

The hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidant activities due to the main bioactive components present in Spanish tomato paste samples were studied, using standardized and fluorescent methods. After extraction, phenolic antioxidants (Folin-Ciocalteu method) and total antioxidant activity (TEAC assay) were evaluated, examining differences between hydrophilic and lipophilic extracts corresponding to different samples. Total fluorescence spectra of extracts (excitation-emission matrices, EEMs) were recorded in the front-face mode at two different ranges: 210–300 nm/310–390 nm, and 295–350 nm/380–480 nm, for excitation and emission, respectively, in the hydrophilic extracts. In the lipophilic extracts, the first range was 230–283 nm/290–340 nm, while the second range was 315–383 nm/390–500 nm for excitation and emission, respectively. EEMs from a set of 22 samples were analyzed by the second-order multivariate technique Parallel Factor Analysis (PARAFAC). Tentative assignation of the different components to the various fluorophores of tomato was tried, based on literature. Correlation between the antioxidant activity and score values retrieved for different components in PARAFAC model was obtained. The possibility of using EEMs-PARAFAC to evaluate antioxidant activity of hydrophilic and lipophilic compounds in these samples was examined, obtaining good results in accordance with the Folin-Ciocalteu and TEAC assays.

Effect of high intensity ultrasound on main bioactive compounds, antioxidant capacity and color in orange juice.

Ultrasound is a useful alternative to thermal processing that can be applied to many food products and juices to aid with enzymes and microorganism inactivation and to improve the efficiency of unit operations generally applied in the food industry. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a high-intensity sonication treatment (frequency 20 kHz; intensity 39.4 W/cm2) applied for treatment times from 0 to 105 min on the content of polyphenols, vitamin C, organic acids, and carotenoids, and on the hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidant capacity and color of orange juice. Treatments were performed in triplicate and data was statistically analyzed. Sonication time did not have a significant effect (P > 0.05) on total polyphenols, total vitamin C, organic acid, and carotenoid contents, lipophilic antioxidant capacity, or juice color. The hydrophilic antioxidant activity and the lutein content increased significantly (P < 0.05) with increased sonication time. These results may be useful as a baseline for the development of sonication treatments that could be used in combination with other traditional and emerging processing approaches to protect the most important bioactive compounds and quality properties of orange juice.

Physicochemical and bioactive compounds at edible ripeness of eleven varieties of avocado (Persea americana) cultivated in the Andean Region of Peru

SummaryThis work aimed evaluating some physicochemical compounds, hydrophilic (H‐AC) and lipophilic (L‐AC) antioxidant capacity of eleven avocado genotypes grown in the Andes. The results show great variability in physical and chemical properties, dry matter (DM) and lipid contents with ranges of 18.4–39.3% and 10.1–23.2%, respectively. All genotypes had high oleic acid content (50.4–69.9%) and a high unsaturated fatty acid/saturated fatty acid ratio (UFA/SFA, from 3.05 to 6.05), while the unsaponifiable fraction contained mainly β‐sitosterol (140.83–235.51 mg/100 g DM) and α‐tocopherol (17.44–71.29 µg/g DM). Total phenolic compounds (TPC), H‐AC and L‐AC ranged from 0.48 to 0.88 mg EAG/g DM, 5.37 to 14.00 and 1.87 to 6.71 μmol ET/g DM, respectively. Although the genotype influences avocado characteristics, climatic conditions in the Andean region seem to be important for the biosynthesis of metabolites of interest and should be considered in future studies.

Development, Feasibility, and Initial Results of a Mindful Eating Intervention: Project Mindful Eating and Exercise (MEE): Feeding the Mind, Body, and Soul

ABSTRACT Background: The aim of this study was to develop a mindful eating intervention and evaluate potential changes in selected outcomes. The Transactional Model of Stress and Coping was used to guide the curriculum development and selection of evaluation measures. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to test the feasibility and acceptability of implementing a behavioral intervention entitled, “Project MEE (Mindful Eating and Exercise): Feeding Your Mind, Body, and Soul.” Methods: Pre-menopausal women, 25–50 years, with a body mass index (BMI) of 25–40 kg/m2 participated in the development of the curriculum (n = 13) and initial testing of the final eight-week intervention (n = 18). Selected measures included the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Mindful Eating Questionnaire (MEQ), Eating and Appraisal Due to Emotions and Stress Questionnaire (EADES), BMI, waist circumference, blood pressure, and serum hydrophilic (H-AOX) and lipophilic (L-AOX) antioxidant capacity. Paired t-tests were used to assess for significant changes between baseline and follow-up measures. Results: Although PSS scores improved slightly, MEQ scores (p = .001), stress-related eating scores (p = <0.001), body weight (p = .02), waist circumference (p < .001), systolic blood pressure (p = .05), H-AOX (p = .02), and L-AOX (p < .001) improved significantly. Discussion: Project MEE intervention has the potential to reduce maladaptive coping efforts, such as mindless and stress-related eating, and produce changes in health status. Translation to Health Education Practice: Health educators may want to include mindful eating strategies and use this behavioral theory when designing programs for stress-related eating.

Post-Harvest Use of Ultraviolet Light (UV) and Light Emitting Diode (LED) to Enhance Bioactive Compounds in Refrigerated Tomatoes

Different strategies have been developed to increase the concentration of bioactive compounds in tomatoes during post-harvest, with ultraviolet light (UV) and light emitting diodes (LEDs) being interesting tools. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of ultraviolet (UVA at 366 nm and UVC at 254 nm) pre-treatment (1 kJ/m2) and red–blue LED light (25.4 µmol/m2/s) on the concentration of carotenoids, (poly)phenols and hydrophilic/lipophilic antioxidant capacity during 7 days of refrigeration storage of green tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) cultivar “Raf”. In addition, special attention was paid to quality parameters (weight loss, colour, acidity, soluble solids and ripening index). Tomatoes exposed to LED light at 6 °C for 7 days increased up to three times the total carotenoids content (mainly β-carotene and E-lycopene) compared to tomatoes refrigerated in the dark, while UV treatments alone did not significantly affect the carotenoid content. Besides, exposure to LEDs increased the hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidant capacity of tomatoes by 30%, without affecting phenolic contents. Thus, LED treatments alone during refrigerated storage fostered ripening and improved the nutritional value of tomatoes, without compromising quality parameters. Further studies must be carried out to evaluate the impact on sensory attributes and consumer acceptance.

Effects of high-temperature cooking on the gamma-aminobutyric acid content and antioxidant capacity of germinated brown rice (Oryza sativa L.)

ABSTRACT Germinated brown rice (GBR) has a high gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) content and antioxidant capacity; however, the effects of high-temperature cooking on these characteristics are unclear. We investigated alterations in GABA content, antioxidant capacity, 15 proteinogenic amino acids, TP and reducing sugar content, and color of cooked GBR at 105°C to 135°C and at different times (40 to 90 min) at 105°C. The contents of GABA and 9 proteinogenic amino acids decreased via thermal decomposition with increasing cooking temperatures. The hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidant capacities (DPPH and L-ORAC) were enhanced at temperatures >125°C. L-ORAC values were strongly associated with the glucose content and L*, a*, and b* values. Additionally, prolonged treatment time decreased the content of 12 amino acids but increased DPPH and L-ORAC. Our results on functional ingredients and activity are useful for both home cooking and manufacturing processes and may lead to the development of better-processed products.

Natural diversity in health related phytochemicals in Turkish tomatoes

BACKGROUND: Tomatoes are important fruits in the Mediterranean diet and are considered to reduce the risk of different human diseases due to their antioxidative powers. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the biodiversity within a set of 50 tomato fruit accessions collected across Turkey concerning their antioxidant capacities and the levels of potential health-beneficial compounds including phenolic compounds, carotenoids, ascorbic acid and tocopherols. METHODS: All accessions were simultaneously grown in an open experimental field in 2017 and ripe fruits were harvested for analysis. Antioxidant capacities of both hydrophilic and lipophilic extracts were determined using spectrophotometric assays after which individual antioxidants were identified by HPLC using an on-line antioxidant detection system. Phenolic acids, flavonoids, carotenoids and vitamins C and E were quantified using HPLC. RESULTS: The results indicated that there is a wide diversity within this small collection with respect to their hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidants. CONCLUSION: Hydrophilic antioxidant capacity of the tomatoes was generally related to chlorogenic acid and Vitamin C levels, while lipophilic antioxidants were correlated to all-trans lycopene.

Nutraceutical Properties of Pecan Kernels Are Affected by Soil Zinc Fertilizer Application

Pecan (Carya illinoinensis) has high kernel antioxidant activity and unsaturated fatty acid content, which contribute to its nutraceutical properties. In the western United States, where soils are typically alkaline, pecan trees require frequent zinc (Zn) fertilizer applications to maintain normal canopy growth and nut production. Our objective was to investigate the effects of tree Zn fertilization on nutraceutical properties of ‘Wichita’ and ‘Western’ pecan kernels. Trees were fertilized with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) chelated Zn, which was applied to the soil at one of three seasonal rates for a total of three treatments: 0 (control), 2.2, or 4.4 kg·ha−1 Zn. Nut samples were collected and homogenized for analyses of kernel oil yield, hydrophilic antioxidant capacity, fatty acid profile, and γ-tocopherol content. Although soil Zn treatments did not significantly affect antioxidant capacity of defatted pecan kernels, Zn application had significant positive effects on both total kernel oil yield and γ-tocopherol content compared with the control. In conclusion, soil application of Zn fertilizer may increase the human health-promoting aspects of pecan kernels, a valuable attribute among health-conscious consumers.