Effect of Cereal Cakes Containing an Inner-Layer Fraction of Barley Bran on Defecation Habits in Healthy Young Female Volunteers

The effect of cereal cakes containing an inner-layer fraction of barley bran on defecation habits in healthy young female volunteers was estimated by two kinds of intervention studies. In the studies, the barley bran cereal and two placebo cereals, 1 and 2, were used. In the first intervention study, fifty healthy subjects were divided into the two groups of 25 each: the constipation group and non-constipation group, and were given the barley bran cereal(dietary fiber(DF) 3.91g) and placebo cereal 2(DF 0.80g) for a week in a cross-over manner. The daily intakes of DF in the barley bran cereal diet and the placebo cereal diet were ,11.3g and 8.9g in the constipation group and those values were 11.4g and 8.Og in the non-constipation group, respectively. Irrespective of constipation or non-constipation, the frequency of defecation and the fecal volume in the barley bran cereal group were significantly increased compared with those in the placebo group.