Serum Cholesterol Levels in Rats Fed Skim Milk Fermented by <i>Lactobacillus Acidophilus</i>

Abstract

ABSTRACT The effects of reconstituted skim milk, and the same fermented by Lactobacillus acidophilus , were tested in rats. Rats were fed a stock diet and drinking water containing one of three milk treatments: (1) no supplementary milk; (2) 10% milk; or (3) 10% milk fermented by L. acidophilus. After 4 wk, rats receiving the fermented milk had lower (P &lt; 0.05) serum cholesterol levels (65 mg/dl) than did the water‐fed (78 mg/dl) or milk‐fed (79 mg/dl) rats. Weight gain, feed intake, liver lipid contents and fecal lactobacilli counts were not different among treatment groups. Data indicate that factors influencing serum cholesterol levels were produced during fermentation of the milk.