Abstract
To determine the effects of high and low viscous sodium alginates (HAG and AG5 respectively) at 2% level on the cecal microflora and levels of serum lipids, these diets were administered to male rats for a week. No significant effects were shown in the case of HAG diet, while cecal pH value, serum triglyceride, and serum cholesterol clearly dropped in the case of AG5 diet. Furthermore, the ratio of bifidobacteria to total viable counts of cecal microflora showed an increasing trend by the intake of AG5. These results indicate that the diets containing high and low viscous sodium alginates have different effects on the intestinal microflora and the levels of serum lipids.
