Effect of Agave Inulin Commercial Consumption in Gluten Diet on Digestibility and Protein Utilization Assessed by Bioassays in Growing Rats

Abstract

In the last decade functional foods in human and animal nutrition have gained in importance. Prebiotics are formulated into an increasing number of foods, the implications of the evolutionary role of prebiotics in human health and wellbeing are unknown. There is growing interest in the use of inulins as substrates for the selective growth of beneficial gut bacteria such as bifidobacteria and lactobacilli because recent studies have established that their prebiotic effect is linked to several health benefits, but the consumption of agave inulin in foods could have an impact on the digestibility and protein quality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of agave inulin consumption on the protein quality of gluten diet, by bioassays, employing Sprague Dawley rat as an experimental model. Four synthetic diets were prepared using gluten as the sole source of protein with three different ingredients of fiber: agave inulin, soluble fiber with resistant maltodextrins, fiber of cellulose and the diet without fiber as a control. Biological indicators were determined, Net Protein Ratio (NPR) and % Apparent and true digestibility of nitrogen (ADN, TDN). Results were analyzed by a statistical program by 95% significance. ADN and TDN of gluten diet with agave inulin fiber ranged from 89.7% to 93.7% respectively and NPR result was 1.87, results lower than gluten diet with cellulose and gluten diet without fiber. The results demonstrated that the agave inulin consumption in gluten diet showed decrease in digestibility and RNP in gluten diet.