Pea Fiber Research Articles

The composition and structure of plant fibers affect their fining performance in wines

In recent years, the wine industry has shifted towards plant-based fining agents for food safety reasons and consumer preferences. This study analysed the interaction of five plant fibers with red wine phenolic compounds to determinate their performance as fining agents. Chemical composition, polysaccharide profile, and physical properties were examined. Pea, cellulose, and Sauvignon Blanc pomace fibers effectively reduced tannin content while minimally affecting the concentration of anthocyanins, flavonols and wine color. Contrary to previous beliefs, the presence of pectins in fibers didn't play a crucial role in phenolic compound interaction since cellulose-rich fibers with low pectin concentration also bound tannins effectively, especially those with small particle size and high contact surface. Pea fiber, rich in cellulose and pectins, showed remarkable tannin retention while minimally affecting wine color. This research highlights the potential of plant fibers as effective fining agents in wine production and how their composition affects their performance.

Potential carriers for biofertilizers: microstructural and entrapment properties

Abstract The suitability of carrier materials for the entrapment of bacteria is an important factor in developing biofertilizers as it determines their functional properties during use and storage. This study examines the microscopic structure and entrapment properties of several potential carriers for biofertilizers. The carriers studied included rice straw, sago dregs, cassava dregs, gum, carrageenan, pea fiber, and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), all in powder form. The entrapment process was carried out by mixing the bacterial solution (10%) of Rhizobium, Azotobacter, Bacillus, and Methylobacterium with the carrier material by spraying and shaking followed by air drying. CMC and carrageenan exhibited a swollen structure when mixed with a bacterial solution, forming lumps. Gum, pea fiber, sago dregs, and cassava dregs swelled slightly, while rice straw demonstrated a non-swollen fibrous structure. The incorporated bacteria appeared entrapped inside the lumps and/or adhered to the surface of the lumps or fibrous particles. The largest number of bacteria was found in gum (log10 6 – log10 7) and pea fiber (log10 4 to – log10 7), followed by cassava dregs (log10 2 – log10 7), CMC (log10 2 – log10 6), sago dregs (log10 5) and rice straw (log10 3 – log10 4), while no bacteria was observed in carrageenan. Most bacteria survived in the carrier with swelling properties and loose structures. In conclusion, the microstructure of carrier materials provides information that can describe bacterial entrapment properties. This study gives important insight useful in formulating carrier materials for developing biofertilizers.

Designing gel coatings for oral soft perception of fiber particles

Promoting the consumption of dietary fibers (DF) is important for public health but also for sustainability reasons. However, the key barrier toward DF consumption is their negative mouthfeel typically associated with grittiness, particle detection, mouth dryness caused by particle-oral surface contact. Hereby, we developed a novel approach based on creating a gel layer around pea fiber particles to decrease negative mouthfeel caused by the presence of the pea fibers. The current process and formulation used allowed to entrap up to ∼2 % w/w pea fibers with an encapsulation efficiency ∼95%. Sensory analysis demonstrated that the gel coating approach is an effective strategy to significantly decrease up to 52 %, 42 %, and 36 % the amount of perceived particles, grittiness, and mouth dryness, respectively. Furthermore, the gel coatings showed a decrease in coating efficiency of ∼15% after being exposed to shear stress. More stress resistant gel coatings can be manufactured increasing the gel coating strength. Finally, this study proposes a new effective strategy to improve the palatability of DF to design healthier and more sustainable products.

Methylcellulose replacement with different enzymatically treated plant fibres as a binder in the production of plant-based meat patties

Texturised vegetable protein (TVP) is a sustainable and economical base for plant-based meat patties but requires binders to create an emulsified gel and hold the patty structure together. This study evaluated the physicochemical and sensory attributes of TVP patties incorporated with three different enzymatically-treated plant fibres i.e., pea (EPF), citrus (ECF) or apple (EAF) as a binder compared to positive control (methylcellulose, MC) and negative control (no binder, NC). All the patties with plant fibres had similar water-holding capacity compared to the MC. EAF exhibited the least fluid release and uniform surface, while ECF demonstrated the least cooking loss and shrinkage, uniform surface, hard texture, better cohesiveness, gumminess and chewiness compared to other samples. All the plant fibre-incorporated patties scored similarly for taste, texture, juiciness and overall acceptability compared to the positive control. The agglomerative hierarchical clustering revealed that the EPF had similar characteristics to the MC but the principal component analysis indicated that citrus fibre was a superior binder to pea fibre, therefore it could be used to replace methylcellulose for plant-based meat patties. Future research should explore more variations in plant-based binders to optimise the performance and sensory attributes of different types of texturised vegetable protein-based meat analogues.

Physico-chemical properties of pea fibre and pea protein blends and the implications for in vitro batch fermentation using human inoculum

The incorporation of fibre into pea protein matrices influences their microstructure, yet our understanding of their gut fermentability remains unexplored. In this study, dietary fibres and protein from yellow pea were investigated for their physico-chemical properties and impact on in vitro colonic fermentation using human inoculum. Pea fibre and pea protein blends were studied at different pH and after thermal treatment at 95 °C for 30 min with oscillatory rheology, static light scattering and confocal laser scanning microscopy. The effect on in vitro colonic fermentation was evaluated measuring gas production, ammonia, and short chain fatty acid (SCFA) production. Rheology indicated that during thermal treatment a firmer gel is formed close to the protein isoelectric point with a structure characterised by aggregation, but less particle swelling compared to other pH. Addition of fibre led to higher storage modulus (G′), with the fibre dominating the rheological properties. Fermentation of samples containing protein led to higher levels of ammonia and SCFA compared to only fibres. Blends produced higher amounts of valerate, i-valerate and caproate, and lower amounts of ammonia. Reduced fermentation of proteins in the presence of fibres was also reflected in a more intact microstructure of the protein particles in the digesta. Although thermal treatment of blends caused particle swelling and induced gelation, only small differences could be discerned in the in vitro colonic fermentation outcomes. Our results highlight that potentially harmful fermentation products from protein, such as ammonia, were reduced in the presence of pea hull fibre.

Pea cell wall polysaccharides and their structural integrity influence protein bioaccessibility and hydrolysis

Pea cell walls have been shown to encapsulate nutrients inside cells, thereby limiting their hydrolysis by digestive enzymes. However, it is unknown how the cell wall performs this barrier function. In particular, this could be due to the presence of specific polysaccharides or, most probably, the organisation of the components within the cell wall. This study aimed to investigate how cell walls prevented protein hydrolysis. To address this objective, isolated cells were obtained using different treatments thought to affect cell walls differently (incubations in water, salt or EDTA solutions) and digested in vitro using a three-phase (oral, gastric and intestinal) model. Purified polysaccharides (cellulose, rhamnogalacturonan I and xyloglucan) and solutions obtained from the incubation of pea fibres and flour were also used in our digestion experiments. We found that protein bioaccessibility (here defined as the amount of protein released from the pea cells) and hydrolysis was lower after the gastric phase for the isolated cells prepared with the salt solution compared to the other treatments. Regardless of the treatment, between 47% and 93% of proteins were released from the cells (bioaccessible) and hydrolysed, respectively. Therefore, after prolonged incubation time proteases seem to be able to penetrate the cells during digestion. In terms of purified polysaccharides, rhamnogalacturonan I had the greatest effect on protein hydrolysis. Incubation solutions made from the pea fibres reduced proteolysis to a greater extent than the pea flour. The present study showed that pea cell walls delay protein digestion mainly via its structural organisation within the cell wall, with purified polysaccharides having a more limited effect.

Effect of Dietary Fiber Enrichment on Quality Characteristics and Consumer Acceptance of Fruit Snacks

In this study, different fiber sources such as inulin, peas and carrots were used to produce fruit snacks enriched with dietary fiber. The effect of these fiber sources on the proximate composition, pH, titratable acidity, water activity, color, texture, total phenolic content, microbial load, and sensory acceptability of fruit snacks was determined. Results showed that fruit snacks enriched with inulin (5.0%) had the highest content of total dietary fiber while snacks enriched with carrot fiber (5.0%) had the highest total phenolic content. The moisture content of fruit snacks with different fibers decreased in comparison to control snacks as fiber was added into their formulation. Moreover, the water activity values of fruit snacks (aw) were lower than 0.7, indicating a low risk for bacterial growth and affirming a favorable shelf life. Compared to control snacks, increasing the dietary fiber addition from 2.5 to 5.0% significantly increased the hardness, gumminess and chewiness values of fruit snacks. The microbiological analysis of fruit snacks indicated that snacks were safe. Additionally, results showed that fruit snacks (2.5%) enriched with inulin and pea fiber were found to have higher sensory acceptability scores than others.

Maternal pea fiber supplementation to a high calorie diet in obese pregnancies protects male offspring from metabolic dysfunction in adulthood.

We investigated the influence of maternal yellow-pea fiber supplementation in obese pregnancies on offspring metabolic health in adulthood. Sixty newly-weaned female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized to either a low-calorie control diet (CON) or high calorie obesogenic diet (HC) for 6-weeks. Obese animals were then fed either the HC diet alone or the HC diet supplemented with yellow-pea fiber (HC + FBR) for an additional 4-weeks prior to breeding and throughout gestation and lactation. On postnatal day (PND) 21, 1 male and 1 female offspring from each dam were weaned onto the CON diet until adulthood (PND 120) for metabolic phenotyping. Adult male, but not female, HC offspring demonstrated increased body weight and feed intake vs CON offspring, however no protection was offered by maternal FBR supplementation. HC male and female adult offspring demonstrated increased serum glucose and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) compared with CON offspring. Maternal FBR supplementation improved glycemic control in male, but not female offspring. Compared with CON offspring, male offspring from HC dams demonstrated marked dyslipidemia (higher serum cholesterol, increased number of TG-rich lipoproteins, and smaller LDL particles) which was largely normalized in offspring from HC + FBR mothers. Male offspring born to obese mothers (HC) had higher hepatic TG, which tended to be lowered (p = 0.07) by maternal FBR supplementation.Supplementation of a maternal high calorie diet with yellow-pea fiber in prepregnancy and throughout gestation and lactation protects male offspring from metabolic dysfunction in the absence of any change in body weight status in adulthood.

PSVIII-11 Antinutritional Factors Are Largely Mitigated By Extrusion and Did Not Negatively Impact Digestibility of Canine Grain-Free and Grain-Inclusive Foods

Abstract Ingredients commonly used in companion animal foods, such as whole grains and legumes, naturally contain antinutritional factors (ANF). Some ANF are known contributors to reduced nutrient digestibility and bioavailability, potentially resulting in defective protein synthesis, which is one hypothesis of potential root cause(s) for dilated cardiomyopathy. Yet some ANF, such as trypsin inhibitor (TI) and isoflavones, may act as beneficial bioactives at lower inclusion levels. While various processing methods can impact the presence or activity of ANF, the purpose of this investigation was to assess the presence of ANF in ingredients commonly used in canine foods, the effect of extrusion on ANF, and the subsequent digestibility of foods formulated using different ingredient strategies. Four test foods were formulated to meet requirements for adult dogs at maintenance: 1) grain-inclusive without peas or potatoes, 2) grain-inclusive with peas and pea fiber, 3) grain-free with peas and potatoes, and 4) grain-free with potatoes (Table 1). Grains, legumes, plant proteins, and finished test foods were analyzed for 41 ANF. Percent destruction of ANF was calculated from the inclusion levels of ingredients in the formulations and the tested levels in finished foods. Digestibility studies were then conducted to assess macronutrient digestibility of the test foods. Cereal grains and soybean meal were the primary sources of ANF in raw ingredients. Phytic acid, TI, and isoflavones (daidzin and genistin) were the most common ANF measured in ingredients. Lectin was not detectable in any ingredients or test foods; tannins were detected only in soybean meal. Except for phytic acid and TI, ANF were effectively (>99%) destroyed by this extrusion process. Trypsin inhibitor was detectable at levels slightly above the detection limit (1000 TIU/g) in all finished test foods (Table 2; 1,200 to 1,700 TIU/g). Phytic acid was detectable (0.49 to 0.76%) in all finished test foods except for the grain-free with potatoes formulation. This was unsurprising as both are known to be resistant to inactivation by heat, pressure and steam. Despite their presence in finished test foods, apparent DM, carbohydrate (NFE), and energy digestibility were high (>80%) for all foods; apparent fat and true protein digestibility were >90% (Figure 1). These data demonstrate the effectiveness of this specific extrusion process to minimize or mitigate the majority of ANF in canine foods when formulated with a variety of common ingredients. Despite the presence of these ANF, test foods remained highly digestible, demonstrating the importance and effectiveness of balanced nutritional formulation in mitigating their effects. We assert that the presence or absence of ANF in ingredients should not, by itself, be the reason for use or avoidance of an ingredient. Additional factors such as the quality of the raw ingredient, processing methods, and overall nutritional design must be considered.

Potential of Modification of Techno-Functional Properties and Structural Characteristics of Citrus, Apple, Oat, and Pea Dietary Fiber by High-Intensity Ultrasound.

Plant fibers are rich in dietary fiber and micronutrients but often exhibit poor functionality. Ultrasonication can affect the particle size of plant fiber, thereby influencing other techno-functional properties. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of high-intensity ultrasound on citrus, apple, oat, and pea fiber. Initially, solutions containing 1 wt% of plant fiber were homogenized using ultrasonication (amplitude 116 µm, t = 150 s, energy density = 225 kJ/L, P¯ = 325 W). Due to cavitation effects induced by ultrasound, differences in particle size and a shift in the ratio of insoluble and alcohol-insoluble fractions for dietary fiber were observed. Additionally, viscosities for citrus and apple fiber increased from 1.4 Pa·s to 84.4 Pa·s and from 1.34 Pa·s to 31.7 Pa·s, respectively, at shear rates of 100 1s. This was attributed to observed differences in the microstructure. Freeze-dried samples of purified citrus and apple fiber revealed thin and nearly transparent layers, possibly contributing to enhanced water binding capacity and, therefore, increased viscosity. Water binding capacity for citrus fiber increased from 18.2 g/g to 41.8 g/g, and a 40% increase was observed for apple fiber. Finally, ultrasound demonstrated itself be an effective technology for modifying the techno-functional properties of plant fiber, such as water binding capacity.

Inducible CRISPR-targeted “knockdown” of human gut Bacteroides in gnotobiotic mice discloses glycan utilization strategies

Understanding how members of the human gut microbiota prioritize nutrient resources is one component of a larger effort to decipher the mechanisms defining microbial community robustness and resiliency in health and disease. This knowledge is foundational for development of microbiota-directed therapeutics. To model how bacteria prioritize glycans in the gut, germfree mice were colonized with 13 human gut bacterial strains, including seven saccharolytic Bacteroidaceae species. Animals were fed a Western diet supplemented with pea fiber. After community assembly, an inducible CRISPR-based system was used to selectively and temporarily reduce the absolute abundance of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron or B. cellulosilyticus by 10- to 60-fold. Each knockdown resulted in specific, reproducible increases in the abundances of other Bacteroidaceae and dynamic alterations in their expression of genes involved in glycan utilization. Emergence of these "alternate consumers" was associated with preservation of community saccharolytic activity. Using an inducible system for CRISPR base editing in vitro, we disrupted translation of transporters critical for utilizing dietary polysaccharides in Phocaeicola vulgatus, a B. cellulosilyticus knockdown-responsive taxon. In vitro and in vivo tests of the resulting P. vulgatus mutants allowed us to further characterize mechanisms associated with its increased fitness after knockdown. In principle, the approach described can be applied to study utilization of a range of nutrients and to preclinical efforts designed to develop therapeutic strategies for precision manipulation of microbial communities.

Effect of heating of pea fibres on their swelling, rheological properties and in vitro colon fermentation

Dietary fibre intake is essential for all human beings and has been correlated to beneficial health effects. Pea hull fibres (PF) are generally seen as a side stream during extraction of protein and starch from yellow pea but could be used in various food products to boost fibre content. In this study, the thermal treatment of pea hull fibres was investigated in terms of physicochemical properties and in vitro colonic fermentation. The PF that was subjected to heating showed an increase of fibres solubilised in the liquid and particle size. Results also showed that viscosity and storage modulus increased with thermal treatment, possibly due to the swelling of the PF. The pea fibre was readily fermentable based on total gas production and pH. However, the susceptibility to fermentation of PF did not increase with thermal treatment. Total gas production and short chain fatty acid produced were similar independent of thermal treatment. Conclusively, heating of the PF resulted in increased ability to structure water suspension, owing to increased fibre particle size, but is not sufficient to increase short chain fatty acid production during colonic fermentation. To explain this, we propose that the changes in cell wall structure were not major enough to induce higher fermentability.

Linking particle morphology and functionality of colloid-milled dietary fibre concentrates from various plant sources

Dietary Fibre Concentrates (DFCs) can be obtained from various agro-food by-products. The origin of DFCs is hypothesized to influence their functional properties and thus potential applications. The study aimed to investigate the functional behaviour of DFCs from six sources upon colloid milling. The functionality of DFCs obtained from asparagus and orange peel showed significant improvement after colloid milling, while less effect for other sources (i.e., barley bran, licorice residue, pea fibres and corn cob). All six DFCs comprised a high proportion of insoluble fibre, while the total fibre content varies from 47.12 to 86.24 g/100 g. Total fibre content affected the functional properties, whereas the DFC particle morphology appeared to have the largest effect for the six DFCs. Fibre particles obtained from asparagus and orange peel DFCs showed increased degree of fibrousness and particle elongation after colloid milling, led to the significant improvement of functionality. Conversely, fibre particles derived from other sources exhibit denser micro-structures that are unaffected by colloid milling. We therefore conclude that the change in morphological properties of DFCs particles could be linked to the functional behaviour of colloid-milled samples.

Variation, during Shelf Life, of Functional Properties of Biscuits Enriched with Fibers Extracted from Artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.).

To boost revaluation of industrial by-products of artichoke, this research tries to determine the stability throughout storage of phenolic compounds and their antioxidant activity in biscuits enriched with fiber-rich powders extracted from b y-products of artichokes (FRPA). To determine the most stable extraction method, biscuits were formulated with FRPA extracted by two different environmentally friendly extraction solvents: water (W) and a solution of 1% CaCl2∙5H2O (CA) and compared with biscuits made with pea fiber (P) and control biscuits (B) without fiber added. Initially and during storage, the biscuits enriched with FRPA (W, CA) showed a higher content of bioavailable polyphenols and antioxidant activity compared to the control biscuits (B) and the reference fiber (P, pea fiber). In conclusion, FRPA are an excellent source of bioavailable fiber with antioxidant activity, but especially the FRPA extracted with 1% CaCl2∙5H2O (CA), and they could present a good alternative to the use of pea fiber.

Physicochemical, Structural, and Functional Properties of Snake Melon (Cucumis melo subsp. melo Var. flexuosus) Microencapsulated with Pea Protein and Pea Fibre by Freeze-Drying.

The purpose of this study was to obtain a functional, stable powder product from Cucumis melo subsp. melo Var. flexuosus (L.) to promote its consumption and reduce waste and production losses. The melons were ground and freeze-dried with or without biopolymers (pea protein (PPSM) or pea fibre (PFSM)). The physicochemical, structural, and functional properties of the powder were studied. The water content, water activity, bulk density, porosity, Hausner ratio, Carr index, hygroscopicity, water solubility, water absorption index, particle size, colour, and microstructure of the powder were determined. In addition, vitamin C, folates, chlorophyll a, total phenols and carotenoids, antioxidant capacity, and powder encapsulation efficiency were analysed. Snake melon (SM) powders contained vitamin C, folates, carotenoids, chlorophyll a, and phenols, which contributed to their antioxidant capacity. The incorporation of PP or PF in the formulation before lyophilisation generated stable encapsulates that protected the bioactive compounds. PPSM and PFSM were less hygroscopic and more free-flowing and had lower water content and water activity compared to the SM. PFSM showed higher encapsulation efficiency and smaller particles with a smooth surface and oval shape.

Mechanical, fatigue, and hydrophobic properties of silane-treated green pea fiber and egg fruit seed powder epoxy composite

Mechanical, fatigue, and hydrophobic properties of silane-treated green pea fiber and egg fruit seed powder epoxy composite

A novel process to produce stratified structures in food

A method to create stratified structures with static mixing elements initially developed for the plastic polymer industry is investigated here as a new route for structuring food dispersions. Food dispersions of different viscosities were structured with static mixing elements to investigate the potential of the method for foods. Differently coloured chocolates were used as the model products. The viscosity of the chocolate was controlled through the addition of pea fibre. The first step was the formation of 2–8 layers, with the two differently coloured chocolates. Then, the chocolate dispersions were layered into 256 layers with an approximate layer thickness of 60 μm. Layer formation was facilitated when using similar paste viscosity and when slip was induced through wall coating with vegetable oil. Uniaxial cutting tests of the layered chocolate indicated that layering resulted in different mechanical properties, parallel and perpendicular to the layers. Fibre orientation in the direction of flow was observed, resulting in the potential to induce anisotropy, additional to the layers. The higher viscous dispersions, wheat dough and melt cheese, could also be structured into layers, although the force constraints of the experimental set-up were reached. Mid-stream additions were added to produce strand structures instead of layers, resulting in higher hierarchy structures but less uniformity.

Impact of varying macronutrient composition on the printability of pea-based inks in extrusion-based 3D food printing

Personalized foods with varying macronutrient compositions can be created by 3D food printing to fulfill the dietary requirements of individual consumers. In this work, we aim to quantitatively study the influence of varying multiple macronutrient concentrations on printability of food inks, by applying a systematic approach. Pea-based food inks consisting of insoluble pea fibre, pea protein, and native pea starch were formulated and water was added following these ingredients’ respective water holding capacities. Printability was quantified in terms of extrudability (force required to extrude material out of a cartridge), buildability (flow point to determine shape stability after deposition on the printing platform), and printing precision (surface defect index (SDI) of the printed object). This approach helps to efficiently define a printable landscape of pea-based inks with a large variation in macronutrient composition. Our results show that increasing protein concentration resulted in increased extrusion force and flow point, while the opposite effect was found for fibre. Of all the tested pea-based formulations, 71% could be printed to a height of 50 mm with high printing precision (SDI<0.14). The presented systematic approach provides a solid basis for rapid development of printable plant-based inks while avoiding a trial-and-error approach to optimize inks with highly variable macronutrient composition.

Pea Fiber Lowers Fasting and Postprandial Blood Triglyceride Concentrations in Humans ,

The effect of a pea cell wall fiber preparation with a high content of soluble fiber on fasting and postprandial blood lipids was investigated in young healthy subjects. Inclusion of 33 g pea fiber product/10 MJ (20 g dietary fiber) in a low fiber diet was tested in five men and six women (mean age 23 y) in a strictly controlled randomized cross-over intervention study over 2 wk separated by a 2-wk period of habitual diet consumption. No significant differences in fasting concentrations of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol or HDL cholesterol were observed, whereas total and VLDL triglyceride concentrations were lower when subjects consumed the pea fiber diet compared with the low fiber diet (P < 0.05). Postprandial response to pea fiber was studied in eight men. Addition of 12 g pea fiber product/ 10 MJ to a breakfast meal and 15 g/10 MJ to the following lunch meal resulted in significantly lower total triglyceride (P = 0.01), chylomicron triglyceride (P = 0.03) and insulin (P = 0.003) concentrations after the lunch meal compared with results following the same meal without pea fiber. No differences were observed in glycemic response. In conclusion, this source of dietary fiber lowered fasting and postprandial triglyceride concentrations but did not change fasting cholesterol concentrations.

In Vitro Production of Short-Chain Fatty Acids by Bacterial Fermentation of Dietary Fiber Compared with Effects of Those Fibers on Hepatic Sterol Synthesis in Rats

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of fiber feeding on short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production in laboratory rats and in an in vitro fermentation model using fecal inocula from rats adapted to a high fiber diet. In addition, the effect of fiber intake on endogenous sterol synthesis was evaluated. Twenty male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups and fed a control or 30% fiber diet (cellulose, pectin or pea fiber) for 4 wk. In vitro fermentation was compared with measurements of cecal SCFA content of fiber-adapted rats. Sterol synthesis in isolated hepatocytes was determined in groups of five to seven rats fed 15% dietary fiber for 4 wk. Cellulose was poorly fermented in both the in vitro and in vivo experiments. Pectin fermentation produced high levels of propionate, whereas pea fiber was associated with notable butyrate production. Adaptation to pectin produced seven times more SCFA in rat cecal contents (515 +/- 78 mumol) in comparison to a fiber-free diet (70.6 +/- 4.9 mumol), with similar results observed in vitro. Sterol synthesis in hepatocytes of rats fed pectin was significantly greater than in those of control or cellulose-fed rats. Despite significantly higher rates of SCFA production in pectin-fed rats, cholesterol synthesis was not inhibited, suggesting that SCFA are not the cholesterol-lowering factor of highly fermentable fiber sources.