Adding an antioxydant cocktail to pig feed reduced luminal oxidation in rats fed a cooked ham diet from supplemented rearing

Excessive consumption of cured meats correlates with an increase in the risk of developing colorectal cancer [1]. Different hypotheses have been explored to better understand the substances that are responsible for an increase in risk. Research has identified N-nitrosocompounds, such as carcinogenic N-nitrosamines [i.e. N-nitrosodimethylamine or N-nitrosodiethylamine], and the ability of heme iron to catalyse lipid oxidation and nitrosylation with nitrosylated heme iron. Lipid oxidation induces the formation of geno- and cytotoxic terminal aldehydes [malondialdehyde (MDA) and 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal]. To limit cancer risk, some studies have found that adding antioxidants or polyphenols when preparing processed meats inhibited these reactions [2]. Dietary vitamin E supplementation of pig feed may also be of interest to protect cured meat from the formation of nitrosamines and aldehydes in dry sausages [3]. In animal models, vitamin E supplementation can reduce the risk of preneoplasic lesions in rats fed with cooked sausages [4]. In the present study, we assessed the effect of adding a mix with of vitamin E and plant extracts in pig feed on the formation of faecal nitrosylation, nitrosation and peroxidation biomarkers associated with risk of colon cancer in rats fed a diet based on cooked ham from supplemented animals compared to rats fed a diet based on cooked ham from control animals.