A 20-month olestra feeding study in dogs

Three groups of beagle dogs (five/sex/group) were fed olestra, a mixture of octa-, hepta- and hexa-esters of sucrose formed with long-chain fatty acids, at 0, 5 or 10% of the diet for 20 months. The objective of the study was to assess the potential chronic toxicity of olestra in a non-rodent species. The feed was supplemented with vitamins A and E to ensure that the diets were nutritionally adequate and comparable for all groups. The levels of supplementation were established in a 91-day feeding study. Survival was 100% and growth was not affected by olestra. Olestra-fed animals consumed more feed than controls, apparently to compensate for the caloric dilution of the diet by olestra, but the increases were generally not statistically significant. No biologically significant changes were seen in haematological or serum biochemical parameters or in vitamin D and vitamin K status of the animals. Histopathology revealed no olestra-related effects. Isolated incidences of soft stools, apparently resulting from the large amounts of undigested olestra, were noted in olestra-fed animals. The results of this study indicate that olestra was not toxic when fed to dogs at up to 10% of the diet for 20 months.