MODIFICATION OF SOYPROTEIN HYPOCHOLESTEROLEMIC EFFECT AFTER FERMENTATION BY RHIZOPUS-OLIGOSPORUS SPT3

Soybean ingestion is less atherogenic and produces lower serum cholest erol levels than casein. The mecanism of action is not yet known. Tech nological processes, used to improve nutritional quality of soybean fo ods, might modify the structure and composition of hypolipidemic facto rs. In the present work, the effect of soybean fermented by Rhizopus o ligosporus spT3 is compared to casein on rat lipid parameters. Three g roups of 12 Wistar male rats are pair-fed for 3 weeks on 3 diets : cas ein, heated soybeans (FCH) and fermented soybeans (tempeh). Casein fed rats and tempeh fed rats showed cholesterol and phospholipids plasma levels significantly higher than those of rats fed on heated soybean m eal. Fermentation apparently destroyed the factor(s) responsible for s oybean hypocholesterolemic properties.