Intestinal enzymatic activity and amino acid uptake in brush border membrane vesicles of rats fed extruded kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris).

Legume seeds are an important protein, vitamin and mineral source for humans. However, the nutritional value of legume seed is limited by antinutritional factors (ANFs). Extrusion is a technological process that can reduce these factors without affecting the legume nutritional value. In this work we analysed the effect of raw and extruded beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) on intestinal enzymatic activity, amino acid absorption, and their effect on rat growth rate. Male Wistar rats were fed ad libitum for 15 d on three semi-synthetic diets: control (C, 11 % protein from casein), raw and extruded kidney bean (6 % protein from each treated legume + 5 % protein from casein). Rats fed extruded kidney bean had an improved growth rate (P < 0.001), increased intestinal L-leucine absorption (P < 0.001), and higher intestinal enzymatic activity (P < 0.001) compared with the rats fed raw kidney bean. Extrusion seemed to improve animal growth and intestinal physiology.