Using plant essential oils (EOs) contributes to the growing number of natural plants’ applications in livestock. Scientific data supporting the efficacy of EOs as anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antioxidant molecules accumulates over time; however, the cumulative evidence is not always sufficient. EOs antioxidant properties have been investigated mainly from human perspectives. Still, so far, our review is the first to combine the beneficial supporting properties of EOs in a One Health approach and as an animal product quality enhancer, opening new possibilities for their utilization in the livestock and nutrition sectors. We aim to compile the currently available data on the main anti-inflammatory effects of EOs, whether encapsulated or not, with a focus on mammary gland inflammation. We will also review the EOs’ antioxidant activities when given in the diet or as a food preservative to counteract oxidative stress. We emphasize EOs’ in vitro and in vivo ruminal microbiota and mechanisms of action to promote animal health and performance. Given the concept of DOHaD (Developmental Origin of Health and Diseases), supplementing animals with EOs in early life opens new perspectives in the nutrition sector. However, effective evaluation of the significant safety components is required before extending their use to livestock and veterinary medicine.
This work investigates the quality of emulsions obtained from fast emulsification in a microsystem implemented at high throughput. The aim is to manufacture oil in water (O/W) emulsions in which bioactive ingredients could be encapsulated. These emulsions may be of interest for cosmetic, nutraceutical and/or pharmaceutical applications. A microsystem based on an improved cross-slot configuration is tested for production of emulsions with various formulations in a range of flow rate comprised in 100-600 mL/min. Dispersed lipid phase consists mainly in sunflower oil. The continuous aqueous phase is a Non-Newtonian fluid as it includes xanthan in order to stabilize the emulsions. Several commercial surfactants are also used to stabilize the emulsions. Their stability is examined during a storage period of approximately 30 days. For most tests, the evaluation of emulsions is based on a comparison with emulsions produced from a commercial laboratory rotor stator emulsifier. The results show only a few slight differences between the characteristics of emulsions generated in continuous in the microsystem and those obtained from the batch rotor-stator emulsifier. The results are therefore mostly comparable, which leads to the conclusion that microsystems can offer an interesting alternative to the small-scale production of emulsions.
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