EN
The aim of the study was to assess the effects of dietary supplementation with chicory root meal (CHIC) or apple pomace (POM), containing both dietary fibre and polyphenols, on selected physiological parameters in rats. Forty Wistar rats were divided into 5 groups of 8 animals each and fed control (C) diet with 10% of cellulose or diets containing CHIC, POM, oligofructose (OLIGOF) or pectin (PEC) for 28 days. The supplements were added to experimental groups in order to obtain the corresponding to the C group the non-digestible carbohydrates content. Indices of caecal fermentation, antioxidant status, lipid peroxidation and lipid profile of rats were assessed. Supplementing POM and CHIC to rat diets decreased ( ≤ 0.05) the caecal pH and ammonia concentration, bacterial β-glucuronidase activity and increased the short-chain fatty acid concentration and pool size in comparison to the C group. In POM group the triacylglycerol (TAG) and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances concentration was lower in comparison to C and to OLIGOF and C groups, respectively. The examined preparations significantly ( ≤ 0.05) decreased TAG and total cholesterol levels in blood, but had no influence on liver functioning parameters and antioxidant biomarkers such as sodium dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activity or antioxidant capacity of water- and lipidsoluble serum fractions. So, supplementing rats with POM and CHIC beneficially modulated microbial activity in the caecum and blood lipid profile.