This study investigated the effects of incorporating a mixture of fructooligosaccharide (FOS) and resistant maltodextrin (RMD) at a ratio of 1:2 on body fat accumulation and fecal bacterial parameters in rats. Our results indicated that high dietary fat consumption might effectively (p < 0.05) increase body fat, but consequently inducing a significantly (p < 0.05) higher growth of C. perfringens and retarded growth (p < 0.05) of the Bifidobacterium spp. in the large intestine. As compared with the high fat control, an incorporation of the FOS and RMD mixture at a high dose (0.97 and 1.94 g/kg body weight, respectively) could result in a significant (p < 0.05) reduction in feed efficiency (−16%), total visceral fat (−17.4%), non-visceral fat levels (−20.3%), and total body fat (−19.2%). Furthermore, feeding the FOS and RMD mixture at a high dose was capable to counter the above undesirable impacts by reducing the C. perfringens count (−14.8%) and increasing the total Bifidobacterium count (134.4%) and total fecal short chain fatty acids (195.4%). A supplementation of adequate amount of FOS and RMD might confer a concreted solution to the obesity and deteriorated fecal bacteria profiles due to high fat consumption.

The present study was to investigate the effects of administrating bromelain, inulin, or a mixture of these ingredients on different fecal parameters in a rat model. Our results showed that taking bromelain (120 CDU/kg body weight) apparently increased fecal moisture by 18% and declined fecal mucinase activity (−36.3%). The incorporation of inulin (260 mg/kg body weight) could also result in some desirable changes including increased fecal moisture by 19%, declined fecal mucinase activity (−43.9%). The feeding of same amounts of bromelain and inulin could lead to significant increases in the presumptive counts of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacilli as well as the concentrations of various fecal short chain fatty acids (by 54-95%). This study suggested that the consumption of bromelain and inulin together might exert favorable effects in improving certain fecal parameters, and provide more hints for the development of functional food formulations. Cambios en distintos parámetros fecales atribuibles a la administración de bromelina e inulina en un modelo en ratas RESUMEN El presente estudio se propuso investigar los efectos que la administración de bromelina, inulina o una mezcla de estos ingredientes tiene sobre distintos parámetros fecales en un modelo en ratas. Los resultados dan cuenta de que la administración de bromelina (120 CDU/kg de peso corporal) aparentemente aumentó la humedad fecal en 18% y disminuyó la actividad de la mucinasa fecal (−36.3%). Por otra parte, se constató que la administración de inulina (260 mg/kg de peso corporal) puede conllevar algunos cambios deseables, entre los que se incluye el incremento de humedad fecal en 19% y la reducción de la actividad de la mucinasa fecal (−43.9%). Alimentar a las ratas con cantidades iguales de bromelina e inulina puede producir aumentos significativos en los recuentos presuntivos de Bifidobacterium y Lactobacilli y en la concentración de varios ácidos grasos fecales de cadena corta (54-95%). Los resultados del estudio sugieren que el consumo de bromelina e inulina juntas puede provocar efectos favorables, mejorando ciertos parámetros fecales y proporcionando elementos para desarrollar ciertas formulaciones de alimentos funcionales.