Short term feeding of alga Scenedesmus acutus processed by different method: growth pattern and histopathological studies.

For 12 weeks male weanling Wistar rats weighing initially 38.5 to 39 g were given a diet with 10% protein supplied by the alga Scenedesmus acutus (strain 276:3a) drum-dried for 7 to 8 s at 120 deg C, dried in the sun for 2 to 3 days or cooked in an autoclave for 20 min at 100 deg and then dried in the sun. The drum-dried algae was also given to supply 20% protein. Final weight for the rats given drum-dried alga 10 and 20% protein was 193.3 and 273.2 g, for those given sun-dried alga 76.5 and for those given cooked sun-dried alga 89.8 g. Controls given casein weighed 167.5 g. Rats given drum-dried alga and controls given casein had mild to moderate centrilobular fatty infiltration of the liver. There was severe fatty infiltration of the liver in rats given sun-dried or cooked sun-dried alga.