Growth and Haematological Effects of Gluten-Free Cake Flour Blends in Wistar Rats

Addressing the growing demand for safe and nutritious gluten-free diets using flour blend formulations, thisstudy evaluated growth and haematological responses in Wistar albino rats. Over a 13-day experimentalperiod, six groups of rats (n = 5 per group) received different dietary treatments. Growth metrics—includingweight gain, feed intake, and food efficiency ratio (FER)—as well as haematological indices were analyzed.Group II exhibited the highest weight gain (150 g to 220 g), attributed to optimized nutrient utilization,while Groups I and V showed minimal growth, likely due to suboptimal formulations. Formulations suchas EEE and BBB resulted in significantly higher mean weight gains of 42.67 ± 2.31 g and 41.33 ± 1.16 g,respectively, compared to other groups (p < 0.05, ANOVA), and had favorable FERs of 0.34 ± 0.04 and 0.38 ±0.00. Haematological parameters—including packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin concentration (Hb), redblood cell count (RBC), and white blood cell count (WBC)—remained within normal physiological ranges.Notably, formulation EEE demonstrated a mild immune-stimulatory effect, as indicated by an elevated WBCcount of 16.10 ± 2.55 × 10³/mm³, which was statistically higher than in other groups (p < 0.05). The studyunderscores the potential of tailored gluten-free formulations to support growth and metabolic health withoutcompromising immune functionality. To optimize outcomes, future research should prioritize nutrient-denseflour combinations, such as sorghum–soy–tiger nut or millet–amaranth–pumpkin seed blends, and adoptlonger experimental durations to assess sustained physiological effects and safety.