Dagong Zhang

Abstract Purpose The combined effects of grain digestibility and dietary fibre on digesta passage rate and satiety in humans are poorly understood. Satiety can be increased through gastric distention, reduced gastric emptying rate and when partially digested nutrients reach the terminal ileum to stimulate peptide release through the ileal/colonic brakes to slow the rate of digesta passage.

Wheat bran and oat hulls have dose-dependent effects on ad-libitum feed intake in pigs related to digesta hydration and colonic fermentation Undigested nutrients and fermentable fibre in the distal ileum and colon stimulate intestinal brakes (IB), which reduce gastric-emptying and digesta-passage-rate, and subsequently limit feed/food-intake (FI). Fibre can also stimulate passage rate potentially increasing FI.

The effects of refined pectin and mango pulp on macronutrient digestion and small intestinal enzyme activity were studied in grower pigs. Diets based on wheat starch with and without apple pectin or dried mango fruit pulp were fed to 30 grower pigs for 21 days. Pigs were euthanized two hours postprandially, and their gastrointestinal contents recovered. Starch and protein digestion as well as ?-amylase activity were all increased in pigs fed pectin.