Differences in Capacity of High-Amylose Resistant Starch, Whole-Grain Flour, and a Combination of Both to Modify Intestinal Responses of Male Sprague Dawley Rats Fed Moderate and High Fat Diets.

Gastrointestinal tract (GIT) responses to a high-amylose resistant starch (RS) product were compared to those observed when RS was combined with whole grain (WG) and to controls with low RS intake in rats fed moderate or high fat diets. Regardless of fat intake, rats fed RS or WG + RS diets had higher cecum weights, higher intestinal quantities of short chain fatty acids, and lower intestinal content pH, and their GIT cells had increased gene expression for gluconeogenesis and barrier function compared to controls. Whereas RS resulted in greater GIT content acetate and propionate and lowest pH, the WG + RS diets yielded higher butyrate.

Simultaneous delivery of antibiotics neomycin and ampicillin in drinking water inhibits fermentation of resistant starch in rats.

Scope: Antibiotics ampicillin 1 g/L and neomycin 0.5 g/L were added to drinking water before or during feeding of resistant starch (RS) to rats to inhibit fermentation.

Methods And Results: In a preliminary study, antibiotics and no RS were given prior to rats receiving a transplant of cecal contents via gavage from donor rats fed RS (without antibiotics) or a water gavage before feeding resistant starch to both groups.