Thesis (BS Biology) -- University of the Philippines Mindanao, 2001

This study was conducted to determine the histopathological effects as well as weight gain response of feeding dried cassava pulp on mature female mice. The treatments were pure yellow corn as control (TO), pure dried cassava pulp (TI), pure washed cassava pulp (T2), 505 dried cassava pulp + 50% yellow corn (T3), 50% dried cassava pulp + 50% yellow corn (T4), and dried cassava pulp + CaO adjusted to pH 6.33 (T5). Thirty-six mature, female mice were randomly distributed to the different treatments musing the Completely Randomized Design and were fed for a period of three weeks. Treatments 1, 4 and 5 resulted in significantly lower weight gain compared to the control. On the other hand, T3 did not significantly differ from the control. Gross external examination indicated discoloration and darkening of small and large intestines, and stomach of all treated animal as compared to that of the control which was yellowish in color. Gross appearance of all other organs was not observed to be different from those of the control. Histopathological examinations showed absence of any observable differences. No examinations were conducted on T2 since all the animals died before the end of the feeding period.