Affiliation:
1. Department of Human Nutritional Sciences, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, P.O. Box: 62000-00200, Nairobi, Kenya
2. Faculty of Chemical and Food Engineering, Bahir Dar Institute of Technology, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
Abstract
Background:
Childhood malnutrition is a common public health problem in Ethiopia.
This animal study aims to evaluate the haematological, biochemical, and nutritional indices of
weanling albino rats fed on complementary diets developed from selected cereals and legumes.
Methods:
The nutritional qualities of the formulated blends were assessed biologically by feeding
white albino rats in order to determine feed intake, the growth rate, protein quality parameters, biochemical
and haematological properties. The commercial weaning diet (cerifam) and casein were
used as control diets. On the 28th day, blood samples were collected from three randomly selected
rats by decapitation. Full blood count analysis was carried out using the Automated Haematologic
Analyzer to determine haematological parameters. All the biochemical parameters were determined
using Mindray diagnostic kits.
Results and Discussion:
The food intake pattern showed that animals placed on diet 3, diet 4, casein,
and cerifam consumed more food than those fed on diet 1, diet 2, and diet 7. The mean
growth rate of animals fed on diet 3 and diet 4 was significantly (p<0.05) higher than those placed
on diet 1, diet 2, and diet 7 but similar to those fed with commercial diet and casein. The protein
quality evaluation of the diets showed that the protein efficiency ratio ranged from 1.20 to 2.43
while the biological value was in the range of 54.53 to 69.48%. The net protein utilization and true
digestibility were 65.62 to 70.21% and 59.01 to 64.01%, respectively. Serum total protein, albumin,
and globulin levels in rats given diet 3 and diet 4 were comparable to the controls and within
the normal range. Comparatively, the creatinine and urea levels of rats fed on the control and formulated
diets were within the normal range. The serum alanine aminotransferase values of rats fed
on the control and formulated diets ranged from 22.03 IU/L in diet 2 to 37.76 IU/L in diet 4 and
were not significantly different from each other. In this study, the packed cell volume and haemoglobin
values of the control and formulated diets were within the recommended range. Evidently,
diet 3 and diet 4 gave the best growth performance after the feeding trials.
Conclusion:
The haematological and biochemical indices indicate that these diets can support effective
growth and development in rats, and consumption of these diets has no detrimental effects
on the liver and renal function.
Publisher
Bentham Science Publishers Ltd.
Subject
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health,Nutrition and Dietetics,Food Science
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