THE EFFECT OF RAPESEED OIL ON REPRODUCTION AND ON THE COMPOSITION OF RAT MILK FAT

Abstract

Rats fed corn oil or a mixture of lard and olive oil produced as many offspring as those receiving no fat supplement with a low-fat commercial meal, but the weanling weight was lower. Although rats fed rapeseed oil continued to reproduce they had fewer and smaller offspring than rats fed other diets.The composition of fatty acids in the milk varied with the dietary fat of the mother. Animals receiving the low-fat diet secreted predominantly saturated fatty acids. A high proportion of linoleic acid appeared in the milk when corn oil was fed, and of oleic acid when the mixture of lard and olive oil was fed. Eicosenoic and erucic acids were present in the milk of rats receiving rapeseed oil, but were less prevalent than in the original oil.