Effect of high sucrose diets on carcass composition in conventional and germ-free mice

1. The effect of dietary sucrose on carcass composition was determined in conventional (CV) and germ-free (GF) mice fed on a control diet and on diets containing 20 and 40% sucrose. 2. Germ-free mice fed the control diet were heavier than their conventional counterparts. CV mice fed on sucrose diets were, however, heavier than their GF counterparts. 3. GF mice fed on high-sucrose diets showed a lower lipid content on carcass than the GF controls and their CV counterparts. 4. CV mice fed the high-sucrose diets were heavier than the conventional animals fed on the control diet. 5. The water content in the carcass of GF mice fed on high sucrose diets was higher than that of controls, as well as their CV counterparts. 6. The present results suggest different lipidogenic effect of dietary sucrose in germ-free and conventional mice.