[The effect of a raffinose diet and cooked legumes on various processes in the large bowel in the rat]

Changes of pH, enzyme activity and microflora in the large bowel of the rat after feeding them various diets containing raffinose and leguminous seeds (soybean, peas and beans) have been studied. Feeding a 12% raffinose-containing diet as well as cooked leguminous seeds lowered pH. However, similar decrease of pH was observed after some other diets (for example, milk powder or raw pearl barley). Remarkable alpha-galactosidase activity in the large bowel of rats after legume diet has been observed whereas it was not noted in the small bowel. The source of alpha-galactosidase are probably bacteria of the large intestine content (Lactobacillus spp., Enterococcus, Escherichia coli). No relationship between the isolated microflora and kind of a diet was observed.