The effect of NaFeEDTA-fortified soy milk on the red blood cell counts of male Sprague Dawley rats (Rattus norvegicus L.)

This study explored the effect of NaFeEDTA-fortified soy milk on red blood cell counts of male Sprague-Dawley rats (Rattus norvegicus L.). Using a completely randomized design (CRD), 25 rats were divided into five groups: the normal control group, which received standard food and water without the addition of soy milk or fortificant; treatment control group, which received extra soy milk without fortificant; and three treatment groups, which received extra soy milk containing NaFeEDTA as a fortificant at 2.7 (treatment group 1), 5.4 (treatment group 2) and 10.8 mg Fe/kg bodyweight (treatment group 3). All the five groups were treated for 21 consecutive days. Rat red blood cell counts were measured using a hematology analyzer. Oneway ANOVA and the least significant difference post hoc test showed that after 21 days of consecutive treatment, there was a significant effect on the red blood cell count in all the treatment groups compared with the normal control and treatment control groups. The highest increase in the red blood cell count was detected in treatment group 2 at t21, with a 19.70 % increase compared with the normal control group and 17.27 % compared with the treatment control group.