Accumulation of cadmium in rats fed diets containing dietary fiber-rich bakery product

ABSTRACT

Cadmium is a potentially toxic trace element. The use of fertilizers and pesticides has led to an increase of cadmium level in soil. This might increase the intake of cadmium into agricultural crops. On the other hand, wheat bran and carrots are recommended as important sources of dietary fiber. In this study flat bread was prepared by replacing 50% of the flour with wheat bran. Biscuit was also prepared using 15% of the flour as carrot powder. The contents of cadmium were found to be 0.45, 0.57, 0.12 and 0.098 mg/kg in wheat bran, carrot powder, flat bread and biscuit, respectively. Phytic acid, dietary fiber and minerals [zinc, iron, calcium and cupper] contents of bran, carrot powder as well as flat bread and biscuit as bakery products were also determined. The accumulation of cadmium in the liver, kidneys, brain and plasma of rats fed diets containing the previous products for 9 weeks was measured. The results revealed a higher accumulation of cadmium in the case of the animals fed diets containing carrot powder than those fed diets containing wheat bran. The concentrations of inositol phosphate fractions [IP[3], IP[4], IP[5] and IP[6]] were also determined using HPLC method: