Abstract
BALB/c mice fed high fat diets containing coconut, safflower, or menhaden marine oil were evaluated for faecal flora and faecal pH. Animals fed marine oils showed significantly higher total aerobic Gram-negative rods at 109 CFU/gm, compared with those fed saturated or polyunsaturated fat diets with 106 CFU/gm. Marine oil fed mice exhibited a significantly lower log10 ratio of anaerobes:aerobes at 1.17, compared to the saturated and polyunsaturated fat fed mice at 3.49 and 2.87 respectively. Differences in flora composition were seen, with increased E.coli (109 CFU/gm) for the marine oils group compared to the saturated and polyunsaturated groups, each with 106 CFU/gm. Faecal samples from animals on marine oils exhibited a lower pH (6.1), compared to samples from animals on saturated or polyunsaturated fat with pH of 7.32 and 7.49 respectively, β-glucuronidase levels were also evaluated and showed no significant differences among the different diets.