Abstract
Wistar rats fed apurified diet containing 5% corn oil, butter, or beef tallow for 4 weeks were examined for cecal microflora and cecal short-chain fatty acids. Bifidobacteria and proteus showed remarkable decreases in viable numbers in the cecum of rats fed a butter-containing diet compared with animals fed corn oil-or beef tallow-containing diets. Clostridia showed a significantly decreased number in the beef tallow and butter groups compared with the corn oil group. The concentrations of acetate, propionate, and butyrate and the total concentrations of short-chain fatty acids in the cecum of rats were significantly lower in the rats given butter or beef tallow compared with the animals given corn oil. The cecal pH was higher in the butter and beef tallow groups. The results indicate that butter and beef tallow as dietary fat are unfavorable for bacterial fermentation in the cecum of rats.
