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Potato starch, gut flora and caecal size in the chick
Author(s) -
Coates Marie E.,
Rolls Brian A.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.2740320509
Subject(s) - starch , potato starch , food science , germ , biology , hexosamines , flora (microbiology) , biochemistry , bacteria , glucosamine , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics
The effects upon caecal size of feeding chicks with diets containing raw or autoclaved potato starch were tested in both germ‐free and conventional environments. Raw, but not autoclaved, potato starch produced enlarged caeca but the effect was less than that reported with rats. The gut flora had no effect on the enlargement. In one trial the chicks eating raw potato starch grew less well. The caecal concentrations of hexosamines were estimated as a measure of mucin content and were higher in germ‐free environments than in conventional chicks and higher in chicks given raw, rather than autoclaved potato starch. The possible relevance of this work to caecal size in germ‐free and conventional rodents is discussed.