Abstract

MORON C, Mirla C; AVILA A, Ana V  and  HERNANDEZ R, Pablo I. Effect of consumption of Venezuelan casabe on mineral absorption in a experimental model with rats. INHRR [online]. 2013, vol.44, n.2, pp.13-20. ISSN 0798-0477.

The main product from cassava in Venezuela is the Casabe, which is valued for its caloric content, and rich in dietary fiber (DF) and minerals. This study determined the effect of consumption of different varieties of Venezuelan cassava on absorption of iron, cooper and zinc, in an experimental model, with 20 adult males rats, strain Sprague Dawley, which were divided into 4 groups: a control without fiber and three experimental groups with substitution of cornstarch by a variety of casabe, identified by their origin as:“ Casabe Miranda”, “Casabe Sucre” y “Casabe Amazonas”. Casabe diets had a higher mineral content, compared to the control diet. Total and soluble dietary fiber content were significantly higher in Sucre and Amazonas casabe varieties(p<0,05).  The inclusion of casabe to diets resulted in a significant increase in the fecal excretion of iron and copper (p<0,05).The mineral absorption increased for iron in Miranda (3.5%) and Sucre (6%) varieties; for copper in the Amazonas group (32%); while the zinc absorption was less affected throughout the trial. The results of this study indicates that the effect of adding casabe to diets on absorption of iron, copper and zinc, was different for each mineral and was related to the diet consumed by the animals, depending of casabe variety used.

Keywords : Dietary Fiber; Casabe; Dietary Minerals; Dietary Iron; Copper; Zinc; Venezuela.