[Effect of the formulation of 2 diets of rats, with wheat bran as a source of dietary fiber, on various biochemical and nutritional parameters].

The type of diet formulation was considered in our study on the effects of wheat bran on some parameters obtained in a biological assay, for 28 days. Weanling, male Holtzman rats were divided in three groups. Two of them were fed ad libitum on diets containing 25% of wheat bran, prepared in two ways: balanced (FB) and conventional (FC). In the first case, the fiber source was added at the expense of every other ingredient, whereas in the second, only of starch. The control group received a wheat bran-free diet. Comparison among the groups showed the highest weight gain for group FB, and the lowest protein efficiency ratio (PER) for group FC. Fecal weight and the weight of the cecal contents were significantly higher for the test groups. Mean activity of the alkaline phosphatase from the jejunal mucosa was lower in group FB than in the other two. The activities of this enzyme in serum, were significantly higher for groups FB and FC. Serum cholesterol level was slightly lower for the group fed the balanced diet, than for the one receiving the conventional diet. Therefore, some parameters such as weight gain, PER, alkaline phosphatase activity of the intestinal mucosa, and serum cholesterol, were influenced by the type of diet formulation. Nevertheless, these results are not enough to substantiate a conclusive answer to the question: which diet formulation is more adequate for biological assays, when using wheat bran as a fiber source?