Recently, milk research team of IAS found that antioxidant capacity of milk was increased by dietary supplementation of red clover isoflavone in cows, which provided a natural strategy for developing functional foods. The study was published in the top journal (Food Chemistry) in the field of food in March 2024.

Foods containing natural antioxidants are becoming popular as their positive roles in neutralizing and scavenging free radicals and their harmful effects. Red clover isoflavone, a new plant-derived feed additive, was supplemented to dairy cows, increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes, reduced production of oxidation products, and enhanced the concentrations of vitamin E and vitamin C. The efficacy of antioxidant capacity of milk was further demonstrated in mice, found that milk from cows feeding red clover isoflavone increased the expressions of antioxidant enzymes, and alleviated lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated tissue damage of duodenum and jejunum, which was related to upregulated metabolism pathways of carbohydrate, lipid, and amino acid, as well as downregulated inflammatory related pathways.

Together, dietary supplementation of red clover isoflavone is an effective way to improve milk antioxidant capacity, providing a natural strategy for developing functional foods. (First author: Zhang Xiaoyin, corresponding author: Zhao Shengguo and Wang Jiaqi)

Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.138764