title: Grape pomace improves antioxidant capacity and faecal microflora of lambs.
abstract: Grape pomace is a by-product of winemaking process and rich in bioactive compounds such as plant polyphenols having antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. As known, oxidative stress may cause a number of pathological conditions in farm animals and thus affecting animal welfare and production. Moreover, pathogenic bacteria affect animals' health status. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate whether lambs' feed supplemented with grape pomace enhances the antioxidant mechanisms and reduces the growth of pathogenic bacteria. For this purpose, redox status was assessed in blood and tissues using oxidative stress markers in lambs fed with diet supplemented with grape pomace. Moreover, the effect on bacterial growth was assessed by examining microbial populations in lambs' faecal microflora. The following oxidative stress markers were assessed: reduced glutathione (GSH), catalase activity (CAT), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) and protein carbonyls (CARB). Twenty-four lambs were assigned to two experimental groups receiving standard or experimental diet for 55 days. Blood and tissues (liver, quadriceps muscle, spleen, heart and brain) were collected at two different time-points, 42 and 70 days post-birth, after ration administration. The results showed that lambs fed with experimental diet had significantly increased antioxidants mechanisms in blood and tissues as shown by increases in CAT and GSH compared to control. Moreover, lambs fed with the experimental diet exhibited decreased oxidative stress-induced damage to lipids and proteins as shown by decreases in TBARS and CARB respectively. In addition, the experimental diet enhanced the growth of facultative probiotic bacteria and inhibited the growth of pathogen populations such as Enterobacteriacae and E. coli. This is the first study investigating the effect of diet supplemented with grape pomace on the redox status and microbiota of lambs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.|Animal Research Institute, Hellenic Agricultural Organization (HAO) - Demeter, Giannitsa, Greece.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kafantaris
authors.affiliation: Animal Research Institute, Hellenic Agricultural Organization (HAO) - Demeter, Giannitsa, Greece.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kotsampasi
authors.affiliation: Animal Research Institute, Hellenic Agricultural Organization (HAO) - Demeter, Giannitsa, Greece.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Christodoulou
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kokka
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kouka
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Terzopoulou
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gerasopoulos
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stagos
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Technology, Lab of Food Microbiology and Biotechnology, Technical Education Institute of Thessaly, Karditsa, Greece.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mitsagga
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Technology, Lab of Food Microbiology and Biotechnology, Technical Education Institute of Thessaly, Karditsa, Greece.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Giavasis
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Makri
authors.affiliation: Department of Biosystem Engineering, Technical Education Institute of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Petrotos
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kouretas
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis*; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D015415:Biomarkers; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D012756:Sheep / Q000382:microbiology / Q000502:physiology*; D027843:Vitis / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D015415:Biomarkers
keywords: antioxidants; oxidative stress; polyphenols; probiotic bacteria; ruminants; winery by-products