Evaluation of Nutritional Performance of Two Infant Flours in Young Wistar Rat

Abstract

Background: Infants need balanced foods when weaning for good growth. The high costs of commercial flours lead many mothers to use local products to make their own weaning foods. Aim: Evaluate the impact of the consumption of two local infant flours on the growth and health of young Wistar rat. Study Design: Disassemble that local infant flours can ensure the growth and health of the young Wistar rat like commercial infant flours. Place and Duration of Study: Laboratory of Physiology, Pharmacology and Pharmacopoeia during 14 days between 05 and 21 April 2025 at Nangui ABROGOUA University, Abidjan. Methodology: Four groups of six growing rats were fed four diets for 14 days. Foods F1 (Control) and F2 (Reference) were commercial pellets and infant flour. Food F3 consisted of sugar, sweet potato flour, sprouted corn and soybeans. F4, contained sugar, palm oil, sprouted corn and soy flours. Erythrocyte and leukocyte values, enzyme activities (ALT, AST), blood concentrations of glucose, urea, creatinine, triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL and LDL cholesterol, determined by enzymatic or colorimetric methods in the spectrophotometer, body weight gains, relative weights of the heart, liver and kidneys were by weighing on the balance and the means were compared. Statistical differences between groups were determined by ANOVA 1 with Dunnet and Tukey-Kramer. Results: Rats fed F2, F3 and F4 had respective body weight gains of 8.17±1.01 g; 8.33±2.79 g and 7.33±1.28 g showed significant differences compared to the F1 controls (3.23±0.83 g). But these foods did not cause any significant variation in serum and erythrocyte biochemical values ​​including hemoglobin values F1(10.50±0.47 g/L - 11.80±0.38 g/L), F2(9.80±0.25 - 12.3±0.33 g/L), F3(12.3±0.33 - 12.1±0.37 g/L) and F4(10.3±0.39 - 12.2±0.27g/L). A significant increase in relative liver weight was revealed in rats fed F4(6.54±0.24 %) compared to F1(3.70±0.45 %), F2(2.21±0.09%) and F3(3.74±0.47 %). Conclusion: Consumption of F3 and F4 induces body weight gains but no major disturbance in erythrocyte, leukocyte, serum biochemical values, relative weights of kidneys and heart of rats.