Abstract
A balance test of nutrients was conducted as part of an investigation on the direct intake of marketed green tea using rats. In addition, the effect of the nutrients was considered from the weight and mineral content of bones extracted at the time of dissection.
As experimental animals, 3-week-old Wistar strain male rats were used and they were divided into three experimental groups, i.e., a control group given AIN-76 feed, a 1% group given the basic feed with 1% green tea powder added and a 5% group given the basic feed with 5% green tea powder added. The balance test was conducted for 4 days in the 25th week of the total feeding period of over 28 weeks. The results obtained were as follows.
(1) Feed intake was significantly higher in the 1% group but the three groups showed no difference in weight gain and feed efficiency. Dung volume became significantly lower in the order of the control group >1% group >5% group but there was no difference in urinary volume. The apparent digestive efficiency of crude protein/crude fat was significantly lower in the 5% group and the digestive efficiency of crude ash was significantly lower in the control group, while the digestive efficiency of insoluble dietary fiber became significantly higher in the order of control group <1% group <5% group. There was no difference in the balance of nitrogen and phosphorus but the 1% group showed significantly higher values for the amount of internal reserve and ratio of calcium and magnesium.
(2) In the bones (femur of the right foot and neck bone-fibula), the contents of crude ash and magnesium were significantly higher in the 5% group but there were no differences in the weight of defatted dry bone and the content of calcium and phosphorus.
