Valorization of waste by-products of rose oil production as feedstuff phytonutrients

The rose (Rosa damascena Mill.) flowers characterized with strong antioxidant capacity and antibacterial activity. Because of that it has been suggested the oil-bearing rose by-products and wastes can be discussed as natural antioxidant sources. From this point of view the objectives of this research were to determine the possibilities for dry pressed distilled rose petals valorisation as feed stuff phytonutrients in animal husbandry, to study the chemical composition and radical scavenging activity of polyphenol complex in rose (Rosa damascena Mill.) waste products, to identify and quantify the polyphenol composition in dry rose petals, dry pressed distilled rose petals and waste water (liquid aqueous phase after distillation). The polyphenol composition in dry rose petals, dry pressed distilled rose petals and waste water after distillation was identified and quantified. By HPLC-PDA and LC-MS thirteen glycosides of kaempferol, ten glycosides of quercetin, six glycosides of gallic acid and the two flavonol aglycones have been identified in dry rose petals. Those polyphenols possess high antioxidant activity and depending on the dose and length of fattening is expected to have a positively influence on the growth performance of pigs, broilers and lambs.