What the study found
The study found that adding an olive mill wastewater polyphenol extract to finishing pig diets did not change growth performance, backfat thickness, or the histopathological and morphometric findings measured. It did, however, affect some antioxidant measures and some meat quality traits.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors suggest that olive mill wastewater polyphenols may influence the technological quality and antioxidant state of pork meat. They also conclude that more research is needed to better understand this role.
What the researchers tested
The researchers tested a polyphenol extract from olive mill wastewater in female Landrace × Duroc heavy finishing pigs. They compared a control diet with diets containing 74 ppm or 225 ppm of the olive mill wastewater polyphenols in 135 pigs total, and measured growth performance in vivo and several postmortem outcomes including backfat thickness, pubertal status, tissue histology, morphometry, antioxidant status, and raw meat quality traits.
What worked and what didn't
There were no significant differences between groups in growth performance traits, histopathological findings, morphometric findings, or backfat thickness. In contrast, the P-HIGH group showed increased liver DPPH radical scavenging activity, and both supplemented groups had higher serum paraoxonase activity and ferric reducing antioxidant power; cooking loss and redness decreased, while yellowness increased in both supplemented groups.
What to keep in mind
The abstract does not describe limitations beyond stating that additional research is required. The findings are limited to the specific pig population, doses, and outcomes studied here.
Key points
- Two doses of olive mill wastewater polyphenols were tested in female finishing pigs: 74 ppm and 225 ppm.
- Growth performance, backfat thickness, and measured tissue histology and morphometry did not differ significantly among groups.
- The higher-dose group showed increased liver DPPH radical scavenging activity.
- Both supplemented groups had higher serum paraoxonase activity and ferric reducing antioxidant power.
- Cooking loss and meat redness decreased, while yellowness increased in the supplemented groups.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Olive wastewater phenolics changed some pork meat traits
- Authors:
- Flavia Ferlisi, David Ranucci, Raffaella Branciari, Katia Cappelli, Giuseppe Giglia, Luca Mechelli, Federica Mannelli, Samanta Mecocci, Gabriele Acuti, Ioannis Mourtzinos, Anastasia Kyriakoudi, Martina Crociati, Jiayong Tang, Erminio Trevisi, Massimo Trabalza-Marinucci
- Institutions:
- Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Sichuan Agricultural University, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, University of Perugia, University of Perugia, University of Perugia, University of Perugia, University of Perugia, University of Perugia, University of Perugia, University of Perugia, University of Perugia, University of Perugia, University of Udine
- Publication date:
- 2026-02-24
- OpenAlex record:
- View
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