Herbs and their valued waste in animal diet to provide milk for human health

Our study aimed to analyze the antioxidant capacity of plant residues rich in polyphenols from the food and phytopharmaceutical industry as feed additives to dairy cows. To evaluate the milk characteristics for human health, the presence of markers of lipoperoxidation and the antioxidants in plasma and in milk were analysed. To evaluate the oxidative stability of milk, milk hexanal content, a secondary lipid peroxidation product from the oxidation of milk fatty acids, was assessed on milk samples stored at 4°C for 4 days. The hexanal concentration in milk was significantly lower in the treated cow. These results highlight that plant wastes rich in polyphenols 1) allow the protection from high ROS production in animals with high energy demands, 2) reduce milk fatty acids oxidation, 3) maintain the antioxidative properties and milk nutritional value for human consumption and 4) extend the milk shelf life.