Effects of purified dietary fiber sources on β-carotene utilization by the chick

Effects of various purified dietary fiber components on β-carotene utilization by the chick were investigated in two experiments (expt.). Eight-day-old Columbian x New Hampshire male (expt. 1) or female (expt. 2) chicks were fed a vitamin A-deficient diet for 1 wk and then fed β-carotene-supplemented diets containing 0% fiber, 7% arenaceous flour or 7% of a purified fiber source for 4 wk. Results of expt. 1 showed that hemicellulose, lignin and citrus pectin, but not arenaceous flour or polygalacturonic acid, depressed β-carotene utilization by the chick, as measured by percentage of consumed β-carotene stored in liver as vitamin A relative to the 0% fiber control. In expt. 2, effects of the methoxyl content of pectin were studied. High and medium methoxyl apple pectin, citrus pectin and polygalacturonic acid reduced storage of vitamin A in liver. Low methoxyl apple pectin had no significant effect on β-carotene utilization. Thus, several purified forms of dietary fiber significantly reduced β-carotene utilization by chicks when fed at the 7% supplementary level. Moreover, with pectin, there was an inverse relationship between methoxyl content of pectin and β-carotene utilization.