No abstract

Breads were prepared with flour fortified with calcium (Ca) at four levels: 211 (U.S. enrichment standard), 446, 924, and 1,412 mg/100 g of flour. Corresponding diets prepared with these breads and fed to growing rats for four weeks provided 25 (diet A), 50 (diet B), 100 (diet C), and 150% (diet D) of their Ca requirement. After four weeks, the Ca content of the femurs of these rats had increased significantly as Ca in the diet increased up to 100% of requirement but not beyond. The increase in femur strength was significant only between diet A and diet B. Apparent Ca absorption increased as Ca in the diet increased, but Ca absorbed from diet D was not retained any better than that absorbed from diet C. Overall, the data suggested that Ca in highly fortified breads was well absorbed and retained, and that the rats' Ca status early in life was greatly improved. Flour fortified with Ca up to the 924‐mg level (4.4× the mandated enrichment level) had no adverse effect on bread quality. These breads can be labeled a “good source of ” or “high in” Ca.

Cereal Chem. 74(3):297-299Groups of hamsters were fed diets containing tristearin (TS), a baker's shortening (BS), soybean oil (SO), a blend (BL) of TS and SO, or a hard fat (HF). Only BS contained trans fatty acids. After four weeks, serum total cholesterol (T-CH) levels were most elevated in hamsters fed HF. In comparison, hamsters fed BS, BL, or SO showed 13.3, 15.4, or 23.7% reduction in serum T-CH, respectively. Reduction in serum T-CH was even more pronounced in hamsters fed TS. However, this group also showed poor weight gains, apparently because only 16.2% of ingested TS was absorbed. Reduction in T-CH occurred due to reduction of both highdensity-lipoprotein (HDL)-CH and non-HDL-CH, but the pattern of reductions still favored lower T-CH-to-HDL-CH ratios. Like T-CH, serum TG levels were also most elevated in hamsters fed HF, with other groups showing significant reductions. Liver CH responses did not conform to responses observed for serum CH and TG levels. Tested in selected baked products prepared in-house, blended fat (BL) was found as functional as regular BS, and it contained no trans fatty acids.

No abstract

White pan breads were prepared with flour highly fortified with calcium (Ca), using Ca carbonate (Ca, 38.8%) or a high Ca whey powder (Ca, 5.6%) as the Ca source; bread was also prepared using Ca carbonate plus lactose. Ca was added to flour at 924 mg/100 g of flour, a level 4.4 times higher than specified under the U.S. enrichment standards. Breads were dried and finely ground to prepare test diets (Ca, 0.5%) which were then fed to growing rats for four weeks (growth phase) or eight weeks (approaching maturity). At either interval, femur ash content, femur Ca content, femur strength, or Ca absorption values did not differ significantly among groups fed breads fortified either with Ca carbonate, Ca carbonate + lactose, or whey. Thus, breads can be highly fortified with Ca carbonate to be labeled as “high” in Ca, and this Ca may be as well absorbed and utilized as dairy Ca.