EFFECT OF CASSAVA BREAD SUPPLEMENTATION ON ENERGY-INTAKE OF RATS

The effect of supplementing semi-purified diet of rats with milled cas sava bread was investigated. Total food intake and weight gain were me asured in ad libitum and pair fed animals. Plasma triglyceride levels were determined at the beggining and end of the experimental period. C assava bread supplementation did not increase total food intake of the animals therefore resulted in a lower food eficiency ratio (FER) of t he diet when animals were fed ad libitum. When die animals were pair f ed, FER was similar for both diets suggesting that cassava supplementa tion does not increase significantly the energy content of the diet. A ddition of milled cassava bread to the diet did not modify plasma lipi d levels. This results support that cassava starch is partially unavai lable to the rats. Clinical use of cassava bread is suggested for diab etic and obese patients.