Beneficial effect of dietary bioactive compounds from residual nuts, a by-product of pastry on antioxidant defense in pigs after weaning

The walnuts of Juglans regia are rich source of a variety of bioactive compounds like polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA omega-6, -9, -3), polyphenols, etc known as antimicrobial and antioxidant substances. In the present study the antioxidant potential of a residual walnuts resulting from the pastry processing was used as a dietary alternative source of antioxidants in pigs after weaning. Thirty crossbred TOPIG hybrid weaned pigs were randomly assigned (n = 10) to three experimental treatments: a normal diet (control group) and two diets included 3 and 5% walnuts residual for 35 days. A high concentration of total polyunsaturated fatty acids, ω-6 (61.0g/100g fat), ω-9 (17.89g/100g fat oleic acid) and ω-3 (11.06g/100g fat) as well as a total phenolic content (PT) of 15.66g GAE/L extract was found in residual walnut. Results indicated an increase of total antioxidant capacity and of the activity of antioxidant enzymes catalaza (CAT) and superoxid dismutaza (SOD) in plasma and liver of pigs fed walnut diets, without effect on glutation peroxidaza (GPx) and biochemical parameters. Further work is necessary to provide data about the effect of other percentage of walnut dietary inclusion and to select the optimum.