The Effect of Cowpea Oligosaccharides on Gas Production in Adult Rats

The effect of cowpea oligosaccharides and oligosaccharide free meal on gas production in adult female weanling rats was studied. The pattern of hydrogen produced in 24 h when some other rats were fed raw cowpea meal was also studied. In the study on the pattern of hydrogen produced in 24 h in rats fed raw cowpea meal, maximum rate of hydrogen production occurred between 2-8 h. There was considerable variability in the amount of hydrogen produced between rats. After 8 h, hydrogen production declined. When adult rats were fed a basal diet, a diet containing oligosaccharide free (OFR) meal and OFR plus the alcoholic extract; the basal diet produced an average of 1.3 mL H2 over an 8 h period. Diets containing OFR resulted in a three-fold increase in gas production whereas the addition of cowpea alcoholic extract to the OFR resulted in a higher but variable hydrogen production. The oligosaccharides were responsible for approximately 50% of the total gas produced when whole cowpeas were ingested. The highest rate of hydrogen production was found to occur between 2-7 h after feeding.