Intestinal contents supernatant viscosity of rats fed oat-based muffins and cereal products

The intestinal contents viscosities of oat-based breakfast cereals and muff ins were examined. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were adapted for four days to a semipurified diet (AIN-76A). Following an overnight fast, the animals were meat-fed 5 g of either the AIN-76A diet (containing 5% cellulose), the AIN -76A diet containing 2% guar gum, whole-grain oat flour, one of five cereal s (corn flakes, cooked oatmeal, uncooked oatmeal, cooked oar bran, or Cheer ios), or one of two types of muffins (containing whole-grain oat flour or o atmeal). Two hours after presentation of the meal, the animals were killed, the small intestines removed, and the contents collected. The contents wer e centrifuged, and the viscosity values of the undiluted supernatants were determined. The supernatant viscosity from rats fed the AIN-76A diet was ne gligible (<5 mPa.sec), whereas that from rats fed guar gum was high (396 +/ - 117 mPa.sec). Of the cereals fed, corn flakes resulted in the lowest visc osity (<5 mPa.sec). However, all oat-based cereals resulted in high intesti nal contents supernatant viscosity levels (cooked oatmeal 368 +/- 128, unco oked oatmeal 307 +/- 107, cooked oat bran 301 +/- 85, Cheerios 199 +/- 58, mPa.sec) with no statistically significant differences. The intestinal cont ents viscosity values for the whole-grain oat flour muffin and oatmeal muff in were 233 +/- 52 and 111 +/- 26 mPa.sec, respectively, a statistically si gnificant difference (P < 0.05). This suggests that the form of the oat wit hin a food may influence the degree of viscosity produced within the small intestine after that food is consumed.