Digestibility of casein, formaldehyde-treated casein and soya-bean protein in relation to their effects on serum cholesterol in rabbits

Adult male rabbits were fed on semi-purified diets containing soya-bean protein isolate, casein or formaldehyde-treated casein as the protein source and 1 g cholesterol and 5 g of the non-absorbable marker chromic oxide/kg diet. The concentration of cholesterol in serum and in liver was increased on both the casein and formaldehyde-treated-casein diets. Excretion of bile acids and their concentration in faeces were lower in rabbits fed on casein or formaldehyde-treated casein when compared with rabbits fed on soya-bean protein. Apparent digestibility of nitrogen was lowest when formaldehyde-treated casein was fed, and highest on the casein diet. In rabbits fed on casein treated with formaldehyde, higher proportions of N were found in the water-soluble and trichloroacetic acid-insoluble protein fractions of the gastrointestinal tract contents compared with rabbits on the other two diets. Absorption of phosphate from the gastrointestinal tract was higher in rabbits fed on casein than in rabbits fed on soya-bean protein or formaldehyde-treated casein. The results indicate that, in rabbits, protein digestibility may not be an important determinant of serum cholesterol.