RADIO-DETOXICATION OF OLIVE CAKE

The possibility of reducing toxic substances in olive by-products subj ected as animal feed stuffs after oil extraction was investigated. Tot al phenols in fresh olive fruits were 0.6%(fruit), 0.7%(woody pit) and 0.31% in cakes after extraction. Irradiation of the olive cake powder at different doses (0, 10, 50 and 100 kGy) was done as a trial to rem ove the toxic substances. The results proved that irradiation decrease s total phenols of olive cake from 0.31% (control) to 0.21, 0.16 and 0 .08% at the doses used, respectively.Subcutaneously injected ethanolic extract of unirradiated or irradiated (with 10 kGy) olive cake was le thal to the rats, while at 50 and 100 kGy all rats survived. Liver and heart functions were measured in terms of activities of glutamate oxa loacetate transaminase (GOT), glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT), t otal protein and lactic acid dehydrogenase (LDH). In addition, plasma total lipids, cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose and blood heamoglobi n were measured. Results obtained showed that the toxic substances in olive cake induced toxicosis symptoms with the experimental rats treat ed with the irradiated (50 kGy) samples. The toxic compounds could be destroyed at an irradiation dose level of 100 kGy without harmful effe cts on liver and heart functions as well as heamoglobin, carbohydrate and lipid metabolisms. After further investigations, irradiation with 100 kGy shall be recommended to be used for detoxication of olive by-p roducts for animal feeding without deleterious side effects.