Evaluation of the Imfact of Biofortified Maize on Gut Health: “A Comparative Study of Short Chain Fatty Acid Producttion in Rats Fed with Biofortified Maize (Sammaz 52) and Yellow Maize Varieties”

Abstract

The human large intestine is home to a large and diverse microbial populations their anaerobic fermentation of non-digestible fiber-rich diet leads to the production of important metabolites including short-chain fatty acid (SCFA). SCFAs with significant anti-inflammatory functions regulate immune function and prevent an excessive immune response, thereby delaying the clinical progression of inflammatory bowel syndrome (IBS). This research aimed to evaluate the effect of provitamin A biofortified maize (Sammaz 52) and yellow maize varieties on the serum short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) in healthy rats. A total of thirty male Wister rats were divided randomly into five groups of six rats each. Group one serve as control and were fed with animal feed (Grower pallet), Group two to five were fed with either whole or dehull varieties of provitamin A maize or yellow maize for six weeks, at the end of the experiment, serum blood samples were collected. Serum SCFA concentrations were determined using GC-MS method. The results indicated that the whole biofortified maize groups have higher serum acetate of 81.51 mmol/L and propionate 68.77mmol/L among experimental group while the whole yellow maize group has higher concentration of butyrate 24.84 mmol/L. Fibre was higher in whole biofortified maize 4.36%   and whole yellow maize 4.73% with no significant difference at value of P<0.05 compared to other experimental groups. Based on the results of this study, it shows that consumption of whole biofortified provitamin A maize (Sammaz 52) and whole yellow maize varieties provide beneficial effect to host on both nutrition and health.

Key: Gastrointestinal tract, Biofortified provitamin A maize, short chain fatty acid, proximate and fermentation