Effect of rice hemicellulose and microcrystalline α-cellulose on selected minerals in the blood and feces of rats

The effects of purified, water-soluble hemicellulose from rice bran, and of microcrystalline α-cellulose, Alphacel, on Cu, Zn, Fe, Ca, Mg and Mn levels in blood and feces of rats were studied. Three groups of five rats were fed for 14 days on standard casein-based diets containing 3 % (w/w) rice hemicellulose or 3 % (w/w) Alphacel ; rats fed on a fiber-free diet served as the control group. Rat feces showed an increased content in all of the minerals when the diet was supplemented with rice hemicellulose or Alphacel. With the exception of Mn, which showed greater fecal excretion when the diet was supplemented with hemicellulose, the remaining minerals showed higher fecal mineral excretion when the diet was supplemented with Alphacel. Separation of the feces into water-soluble and insoluble fractions revealed that greater amounts of minerals were present in the insoluble fraction than in the water-soluble fraction. Blood from rats fed with the hemicellulose diet showed a decrease in Ca, Mg and Fe and essentially no change in Mn, Cu and Zn. Blood from Alphacel-fed rats showed an increase in Ca, Fe and Zn, a decrease in Mg and no change in Mn and Cu, compared with the control diet.