title: Influence of palm oil and palm oil fractions on protein utilisation.
abstract: The influence of dietary palm-oil fractions on protein utilisation has been investigated in the growing rat. At 30 days of age, 4-6 groups of four animals were offered one of six semi-purified diets that differed only in the palm-oil fraction. Diets contained 200g casein, 550 g carbohydrate, and 200g fat/kg. The different palm-oil fractions were: crude palm oil (CPO), refined palm-kernel oil (PKO), refined palm olein (RPO), refined palm stearin (RPS), refined palm oil (RPOL). The control groups were given Olive oil (OO) as the dietary fat source. The conversion efficiency of dietary protein was assessed as Net Protein Utilisation (NPU), using a 10-day comparative carcass technique. Weight gain and food intake were not altered by the various palm-oil fractions. However, the NPU of rats given RPO was significantly higher (p<0.05) than that of rats given all other palm-oil fractions or the OO control. It is concluded that the RPO has the potential to significantly improve NPU in the rat, compared to four other palm-oil fractions as well as olive oil.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological and Molecular Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Gipsy Lane, Oxford.
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Henry
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ghusain-Choueiri
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Gurr