Abstract

The effect of differently cooked soya bean (Glycine max.) on some blood coagulation parameters was studied using forty (40) New Zealand white rabbits. The animals were grouped into four (A-D) groups of ten (10) rabbits each and fed 100% growers mash and water adlibitum for three (3) weeks. Group A (control) animals were maintained on the standard pelletized feed while group B, C and D Rabbits had 25% of their feed substituted with ‘fermented and boiled’, ‘roasted and boiled’ and ‘roasted’ soya bean respectively for two weeks. The percentage of diet substituted with soya was increased to 50% and 75% each for a period of two weeks, after which the rabbits were returned to 100% growers mash for three weeks to observe recovery form effects. Blood was collected from the marginal ear vein at the end of each stage of the research to determine prothrombin time, activated partial thrombin time, serum calcium concentration and platelet counts. The result show that soya bean prolonged prothrombin time and activated partial thrombin time but decreased serum calcium and blood platelet concentration. Soya bean intake prolonged blood coagulation. These effects were dependent on the method of processing and percentage composition of soya bean in the feed. Soya bean is rich in protein but contain numerous antinutritional factors which are not completely eliminated in traditional methods of cooking.

Keywords: Soya bean, prothrombin, cooking, platelets, coagulation.