Evaluation of the nutrient-upgraded rodent food bar for rodent spaceflight experiments

Nutrition
Gwo-Shing SunMarilyn Vasques

Abstract

Selection of an appropriate diet for rodent spaceflight experiments is critical and may have significant effects on mission results. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) rodent food bar (RFB) was reformulated and designated as the nutrient-upgraded RFB (NuRFB). The objectives of this study were to determine whether the NuRFB nutrient formulation meets the 1995 National Research Council (NRC) nutrient recommendations and whether the NuRFB can be used for short-term (45-d) and long-term (90-d) spaceflight experiments. Nutrient and moisture analyses of the NuRFB were performed. Young (age 13-14 wk) male Sprague-Dawley rats (n=16/group) were individually caged and fed a diet treatment consisting of 1) NuRFB, 2) RFB, or 3) modified AIN-93G containing 4% instead of the 7% fat for 45- or 90-d. At the end of the study, organs were weighted, and serum clinical chemistry indicators of organ function and hematologic measurements were determined. Chemical analysis of the diet ingredients showed that the NuRFB met the 1995 NRC nutrient recommendations for rats. Subsequent animal feeding studies showed that NuRFB was comparable to RFB and modified AIN-93G for supporting rat growth and body weight maintenance. In addition,...Continue Reading

References

Jan 1, 1992·Veterinary Clinical Pathology·Kurt W. WeingandKatherine A. Stitzel

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Citations

Mar 5, 2013·FASEB Journal : Official Publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology·Curtis R TaylorMichael D Delp
Apr 21, 2016·PloS One·Karen R JonscherMichael J Pecaut
Oct 27, 2012·FASEB Journal : Official Publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology·Bradley J BehnkeMichael D Delp
Oct 28, 2017·Lab Animal·Ellen P Neff
Feb 25, 2018·Life Sciences in Space Research·Paul ChildressMelissa A Kacena

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