33G-26 |
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K. A. NOLEN, K. L. McCutcheon, A. R. Francis, and M. Hegsted. School of Human Ecology, Louisiana State Univ. Agricultural Center, 130 Human Ecology Bldg., Baton Rouge, LA 70803 Short chain fructooligosaccharides (scFOS) and resistant starches (RS) are indigestible by human enzymes in the small intestine. Once in the colon, scFOS and RS are readily fermented by bacteria, producing short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), the preferred energy source for colonocytes. scFOS and RS fermentation byproducts lower intestinal pH potentially increasing mineral absorption. This study aimed to determine if scFOS and RS fed at levels comparable to human consumption increase mineral absorption and overall GI health of male Sprague-Dawley rats. Twenty-four 4-week old male Sprague-Dawley rats were stratified by weight and divided into three treatment groups of control, 5%scFOS (NutraFloraŽ, GTC Nutrition) and 5%RS (Hi-MaizeŽ, National Starch) diets. Feces and urine were collected for a period of seven days at week one and 12 (wks1&12) of the study. After wk12, the rats were sacrificed by exsanguination under anesthesia. Feces and diet samples were dehydrated, microwave digested, and analyzed by inductively coupled plasma spectrophotometry for mineral content. Apparent mineral absorption was calculated as [(Intake-Feces)/Intake]x100. scFOS decreased cecal pH, but RS did not. scFOS and RS increased Ca and P absorption at wk1 but not at wk12. scFOS increased Mg absorption from Control and RS at wk1 (p<0.001) and 12 (p<0.001). Low doses of scFOS and RS initially increased Ca and P absorption, but this effect disappeared by wk12. scFOS consistently increased Mg absorption; this benefit was probably related to the decreased cecal pH in scFOS-fed rats. Except for the initial effects on Ca and P absorption, RS reduced mineral absorption. In conclusion, at 5% of diet, scFOS is fermented to a greater degree than RS, resulting in improved mineral absorption. Thus, incorporation of scFOS into nutraceuticals or functional foods would increase mineral absorption from those products.
Session 33G, Nutraceuticals & Functional Foods: Lipid and probiotic functional foods
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