Pectin Supplementation Research Articles

Intra-caecal short chain fatty acids are altered by dietary pectin in the rat.

When Dark Agouti rats were changed from a conventional pellet diet containing 3.3% crude fibre and 4% fat to the experimental diet containing 5% pectin and 17% fat, the levels of n-butyrate in the caecum rapidly decreased more than fivefold. Such a change could be important as n-butyrate is known to be a major energy source for colonocytes, and to affect colon tumour cell development in vitro. Striking decreases in the caecal concentrations of the short chain fatty acids isobutyrate, n-valerate and isovalerate occurred when Wistar rats were fed an experimental diet containing 5% pectin as the only dietary fibre, compared to rats fed the experimental diet containing no dietary fibre. These large changes in the short chain fatty acid profile, caused by pectin supplementation, have important implications for the metabolism and health of the colon.

Sustained Pectin Ingestion Delays Gastric Emptying

The effects of sustained fiber ingestion on gastric emptying glucose tolerance, hormone responses, and jejunal absorption of glucose and lysine were studied in healthy volunteers. Subjects were placed on a low-fiber (3 g) diet for 2 wk, followed by 4 wk of an isocaloric diet supplemented with 20 g/day of either apple pectin (7 subjects) or alpha-cellulose (6 subjects). At the conclusion of each dietary period subjects ingested a low-fiber breakfast surface-labeled with 99mtechnetium sulfur-colloid. Gastric emptying half-time, plasma glucose, calcium, phosphorus, insulin, glucagon, gastrin, human pancreatic polypeptide, and motilin were determined. Gastric emptying half-time was prolonged approximately twofold after pectin supplementation (p less than 0.005) and returned to normal 3 wk after discontinuing pectin supplementation. Cellulose supplementation did not alter the gastric emptying rate. Plasma glucose, calcium, phosphorus, and hormonal responses to the meal were unchanged after either pectin or cellulose supplementation. Pectin ingestion did not impair intestinal absorption of glucose or lysine. In contrast to sustained cellulose ingestion, sustained pectin ingestion slows the gastric emptying rate; the mechanism underlying this adaptive effect is unknown.

Effect of Gamma Irradiation, Penicillin, and/or Pectic Enzyme on Chick Growth Depression and Fecal Stickiness Caused by Rye, Citrus Pectin, and Guar Gum

The effects of gamma irradiation of rye, corn, pectin, and guar gum and supplementation of procaine penicillin and/or pectic enzyme (Irgazyme-100) were studied. Addition of 62.5% rye, 4% pectin, or 2% guar gum in place of corn significantly reduced chick growth (P<.05). Exposure to gamma irradiation, procaine penicillin, or pectic enzyme supplementation improved the growth of chicks fed rye. Growth response on the rye diet to one or more combinations of gamma irradiation, procaine penicillin, and pectic enzyme was greater than that of gamma irradiation, procaine penicillin, or pectic enzyme alone. Gamma irradiation or pectic enzyme supplementation of pectin or guar gum improved chick growth and almost eliminated their growth depressing properties. A combination of gamma irradiation and pectic enzyme failed to give a further significant increase in growth over that of either alone. Addition of procaine penicillin to diets containing rye, irradiated pectin, or guar gum elicited a significant growth response, but the response was greatly reduced when diets contained irradiated guar gum or irradiated pectin.Feces of chicks fed diets containing rye, pectin, or guar gum adhered to screen floors in much greater amounts than for corn-fed chicks. Gamma irradiation, procaine penicillin, or pectic enzyme had no significant effect on fecal condition of birds fed diets containing rye or guar gum. In contrast, fecal condition of birds fed guar gum was significantly improved by a combination of gamma irradiation and pectic enzyme supplement. Gamma irradiation almost eliminated and pectic enzyme supplementation completely eliminated properties of pectin causing sticky feces. Results indicate that the component of rye that causes sticky feces was not changed by gamma irradiation and/or pectic enzyme, and, therefore, is different from the growth depressing factor and from citrus pectin.

Urinary ascorbic acid excretion in the human as affected by dietary fiber and zinc

The objective of the project was to study the effect of dietary pectin, cellulose, hemicellulose, and zinc on human urinary excretion of ascorbic acid. The project consisted of two 33-day controlled feeding studies involving a total of 19 adult men and women of normal health. Within each study all subjects received all experimental treatments. In study A during the four 7-day experimental periods the ground peanut based diets were varied as follows: no supplement, 14.2 g of hemicellulose supplement, 14.2 g of cellulose supplement, or 14.2 g of pectin supplement per subject per day. Mean urinary excretion of ascorbic acid by subjects while receiving these supplements were 26.10, 32.27, 26.27, or 20.60 mg/day, respectively. In study B during the four 7-day randomly arranged experimental periods, the following alterations were made to the basal diet: supplement of 14.2 g of pectin plus 1.3 g of zinc, 14.2 g of pectin plus 9.3 g of zinc, 4.2 g pectin plus 1.3 g of zinc, and 4.2 g of pectin plus 9.3 g of zinc. Mean urinary ascorbic acid excretion of subjects while receiving these diets were as follows: 20.61, 23.18, 28.07, 18.99. Hemicellulose supplement enhanced urinary excretion of ascorbic acid while pectin and zinc resulted in decreased urinary excretion of this vitamin. Increased urinary excretion of ascorbic acid at constant intake levels is thought usually to be indicative of enhanced absorption or of decreased need.

Factors Affecting the in vitro Production of Pectolytic and Cellulolytic Enzymes by Bean Leaf Pathogens Curvularia lunata and Colletotrichum dematium

Summary Effect of p H. and temperature on in vitro production of pectolytic and cellulolytic enzymes by Curvularia lunata and Colletotrichum dematium causing leaf spot and anthracnose disease of bean were studied. The enzyme production and activity was affected by the period of incubation, initial and final p H of the medium, temperature of incubation and supplementation of glucose or pectin to the basal medium. PG1), PMG and Cx production (activity) was maximal between p H 4.0 to 5.0 at 30 to 35 °C. These enzymes were more actively secreted by C. dematium as compared to C. lunata. PME production in vitro could not be detected. Increasing amounts (0.25 to 2 %) of pectin supplementation induced increased pectolytic enzyme production by C. lunata but the production decreased in case of C. dematium. Pectin/pectate transeliminases were most active between p H. 8.0 to 8.5 at 30 °C. The pectolytic as well as cellulolytic enzymes of C. dematium origin were adversely affected by increased glucose concentration while PG and PMG production increased in C. lunata. The enzymes were found to be constitutive in C. dematium and inducible C. lunata.

Fiber and pectin in the diet and serum cholesterol concentration in man.

SummaryRigidly controlled experiments on middle-aged men subsisting on diets of natural foods with and without supplements of 15 g daily of either cellulose(fiber) or pectin failed to show any significant effect on serum cholesterol concentration from the cellulose but they did consistently show an effect from the pectin. The pectin effect was apparent in 3 weeks and amounted to an average fall of about 5% below the level on the same diet without pectin supplement. It is suggested that the amounts of cellulose and pectin used correspond to the upper levels of these substances provided in natural human diets.