COPPER STATUS OF MICE FED HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE OIL, COCOA BUTTER, FRESH AND CURED PORK FROM HIGH AND LOW NITRATE NITRITE CONTAINING DIETS

The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of hydrogen ated vegetable oil, cocoa butter, fresh and cured pork from high (spin ach=0.2%) and low (spinach=0.02%) nitrate/nitrite containing diets on copper status of mice. The dietary treatments had no significant effec ts on urinary and fecal copper excretions and whole blood and liver co pper contents of mice. However, there were significant (p < 0.01) inte ractions of protein source by type of fat and protein source by spinac h (nitrate/nitrite) level with regard to fecal copper excretion. Feedi ng of cocoa butter tended to result in lower copper excretions in urin e and feces and higher copper concentrations in the whole blood and li ver of mice. Therefore, cocoa butter might enhance copper absorption i n comparison to hydrogenated vegetable oil.