Abstract
Dietary tallow was thermally oxidized at 180°C in an open fryer. The oxidized tallow (OT) and unoxidized tallow were characterized for oxidation parameters and fatty acid composition using GC-MS. Tallow samples were fed to rabbits along with 50, 100, and 150 mg/kg/day of ellagic acid (EA) for three weeks. Results revealed that the peroxide value (PV) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) significantly increased, while radical scavenging activity (RSA) of the tallow decreased significantly with oxidation. GC-MS analysis showed eight fatty acids in the tallow samples, where palmitic acid (48.5-49.7 g/100 g), linoleic acid (18.7-23.7 g/100 g), stearic acid (13.5-15.6 g/100 g), and margaric acid (6.32-6.42 g/100 g) were the major fatty acids. Animal studies showed that oxidized tallow (OT) alone or in combination with EA significantly altered the body weight of the rabbits. Serum biochemical parameters and renal function tests were affected by OT and ameliorated by EA. The toxic effects of OT on haematological indices were minimized by EA. The supplementation of OT alone had significant effects on the liver structure and functions. The coadministration of EA reduced the toxic properties of OT on the liver, by increasing the antioxidant (GSH) system. The rabbit heart was also affected by the OT, which was ameliorated by EA supplementation. These results suggested that the supplementation of EA was beneficial against the OT-induced oxidative stress and may be considered for foods containing oxidized lipids.