Effect of high-fat, high-beef diet and of mode of cooking of beef in the diet on fecal bacterial enzymes and fecal bile acids and neutral sterols.

The effect of a high-fat, high-beef diet and of method of preparation of beef in the diet on the fecal bile acids and neutral sterols and on the activities of fecal bacterial beta-glucuronidase, cholesterol dehydrogenase and 7 alpha-dehydroxylase was studied in healthy men and women, 24-41 years old, who were consuming a customary mixed-western diet. The experimental diets were high in fat and beef, which was cooked rare, medium or well-done. The sequence of dietary regimen was selected at random and each diet phase lasted for 4 weeks. Individual 24-hour fecal specimens were collected from each volunteer for the final 3 days during each dietary period, including pre- and post-experimental periods while they were consuming a customary mixed-western diet. The mode of cooking beef in the high-fat, high-beef experimental diets had no influence on the fat and protein content of the diets but the fat content of experimental diets was high compared to customary mixed-western diet. Fecal bacterial beta-glucuronidase activity and fecal secondary bile acid and cholesterol metabolite levels were significantly higher during the experimental diet periods but the fecal bacterial activities of 7 alpha-dehydroxylase and cholesterol dehydrogenase were unaffected. The mode of cooking beef in experimental diets had no influence on the fecal bacterial enzymes and on the excretion of fecal bile acids and cholesterol metabolites.