Nutritional and Safety Evaluation of Local Weight-Gain Formulas in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) Markets

Abstract

This study was conducted to examine the nutritional content, contamination levels, and biological effects of 3 local prepared formulas. Formula (1) contained mixed nuts; formula (2) contained moghat, honey and royal jelly, while formula (3) contained honey, fenugreek and royal jelly. Groups of albino rats (90 rats) were randomly allocated to diets of control group or 1 - 3 treatment groups. The tested diets contained 15% carbohydrate. The weight and food intake were recorded. Blood tests were conducted to determine total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, urea, creatinine, white blood cell count (WBC), red blood cell count (RBC), haemoglobin (HB), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), and haematocrit (HCT). Results showed that bacterial contamination was found in formula (1) and formula (3). Fungal contamination was detected in formula (2) and formula (3). Body weight increased significantly in the rats fed treatment formulas compared to the control group. The blood tests indicated significant increases in the levels of glucose, WBC, HCT, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides as well as a significant decrease in HDL level in the group (2) was fed formula (1) the control. In conclusion, these findings indicate that these local formulas may not be safe, and further studies are required to understand the consequences of a long-term consumption of these formulas.