MATERIALS AND METHODS

MANY of the diseases peculiar to western civilisation have been ascribed to the removal from the diet of the major part of the fibre of the wheat grain. It has been suggested that this part of the wheat grain, known as bran, is of specific value in the prevention of various diseases including large bowel cancer (Burkitt, 1971). The prophylactic influence of bran is ascribed to its effects on intestinal transit, faecal bulk and the faecal flora. The effect of bran on intestinal transit and faecal bulk has been previously documented (Cowgill and Anderson, 1932; Harvey, Pomare and Heaton, 1973). In this paper we describe the effect of bran on the faecal flora