Ernährung und biochemisch-mikroökologische Vorgänge im Enddarm von Säuglingen

Summary

The oxydation-reduction potential of the feces of nurslings decreases in the first hours of life from a high positive (+ 139 mV) to a low negative level (-152 mV). Under the influence of breast feeding the values decrease to a low positive level (+ 12 mV), with great individual differences. Adding cow-milk-formulas to the breast feeding the potential was further lovered to moderate negative values (-35 mV). With a gradual change of the diet to a mixed one, the potential fell progressively to levels of-300 mV and less. The contents of 6 free amino acids in the aqueous extracts of the feces increased with the beginning of breast feeding (from 256 mg-% dried meconium to 909 mg-% dried feces). They decreased when vegetables were incorporated in the diet (365 mg-%) and then progressively to the level of the feces of adults (152 mg-%). The amino-nitrogen levels behaved similarly. The levels of total-nitrogen decreased from 3% in the meconium to 0.57% with normal mixed diet or in adults. No influence of the different diets was perceptible.