Betalains in Animal Nutrition and Health: Importance as Animal Feed Supplements- A Review

Abstract

In recent years, betalain-containing fruits and vegetables have gained increased importance in research and food industry. The extracted betalains are safe to consume and are considered as health promoting molecules. In vitro and in vivo studies highlighted the antioxidant and the biological activities of these pigments. However, the bioavailability of betalains, their ability to protect/treat oxidative stress related diseases and their health promoting properties were investigated using mainly rodents and human models. To enlarge the sphere of application of these pigments, research trials should be extended to farm animals. This paper details the bioavailabilty and the in vivo radical scavenging activity of these molecules and proposes their use as natural animal feed additives for future debate.