Acceptability of diets containing olive oil fried sardines ( Sardina pilchardus ) in the prevention of dietary hypercholesterolaemia in rats

The acceptability of diets containing fried sardines (Sardinia pilchardus Walb) was studied for 4 weeks in growing Wistar rats. Group 1 was fed with a diet containing casein and olive oil as protein and fat sources respectively, and groups 2 and 3 received diets containing sardines fried in olive oil which had been used a known number of times. Group 2 was fed with a mixture of fried sardines from the first and second oil‐use occasions as the only source of protein and fat, while group 3 got a mixture of fried sardines from the eighth to tenth oil‐use fryings. All diets contained cholesterol plus bovine bile as a blood cholesterol‐raising agent. Food intake, body weight increase and dietary efficiency ratio (DER) were all similar in groups 1 and 2, showing that the olive oil fried sardine diet was well accepted. However, group 3 ate significantly less (P<0.01) and showed smaller (P<0.01) body weight increase and DER than groups 1 and 2. The hepatosomatic index of group 3 was higher (P < 0.05). The hyper‐cholesterolaemic effect of group 1 diet was markedly reduced (5‐ and 15‐fold after 2 weeks and 4 weeks respectively) in groups 2 and 3.