CASEIN, RED MEAT AND SOYPROTEIN EFFECTS ON NUTRIENT DIGESTIBILITY ANDTHE COLONIC MICROSTRUCTURE OF THE LABORATORY RAT

Fifty white male rats were used to study the effects of varied protein source (i.e. casein, red meat or soyprotein) on the development and m orphology of the rat's gastrointestinal tract. Laboratory rats appeare d to take well to the meat base diet, consuming more of that diet duri ng the early days of the study. There were, however, apparent diet ada ptation periods for all experimental diets. After 15 days on the diets , rats fed the soyprotein had heavier stomach weights, and less coloni c weight than the casein or meat-fed rats. Colonic morphology studies indicated the meat-fed rats had greater width of colonic crypts, and a lower surface area to mucosal volume ratio than casein or soyprotein- fed rats. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Inc.