Abstract
The effect of the addition (10%) of wheat bran or EDTA-wheat bran (bran treated with 0.5% EDTA-2Na solution) on the growth and mineral balance in weanling rats was examined by feeding them a deficient diet for 21 days. These rats were divided into four groups; (a) basal diet, (b) zinc deficient diet (control), (c) 10% wheat bran supplemented diet in addition to control diet and (d) 10% EDTA-wheat bran supplemented diet in addition to control diet.
The results were as following :
1) Wheat bran completely prevented the growth retardation caused by the zinc deficiency, but EDTA-wheat bran was found to have no efficiency on the growth.
2) The concentration of minerals in the liver, kidney, spleen and femur of the wheat bran group was significantly increased compared with the control and the EDTA-wheat bran groups.
3) The fecal excretion of zinc in the wheat bran group was significantly decreased and the apparent absorption of zinc was increased, compared with the basal group. The beneficial effect of the wheat bran was observed as apparent absorption of minerals. The zinc apparent absorption of control and EDTA-wheat bran groups indicated the negative balance.
These results suggest that the zinc in wheat bran is supplemented to the zinc in the zinc deficient diet and the beneficial effect of wheat bran is apparently enhanced when the supply of essential trace elements (zinc and iron) is limited or lacked.
