Hedonic response of rats to polysaccharide and sugar solutions

The palatability of glucose, sucrose, maltose and polysaccharide (Polycose) was assessed by examining the consummatory response of nondeprived female rats to equicaloric or equimolar solutions of these saccharides. Both 30-min one-bottle acceptance and 30-min two-bottle preference tests were conducted: initial (3-min) lick rates were also recorded. At low molar concentrations the relative palatability of the saccharides was ordered as follows: Polycose greater than maltose greater than sucrose greater than glucose. At higher concentrations the rats were more attracted to sucrose than to Polycose; however Polycose remained more palatable than maltose at all but the highest concentration. In the one-bottle tests gram solute intakes varied as a function of percentage concentration, and was not influenced by saccharide type or solution osmolarity. The results along with other recent findings indicate that rats can taste starch-derived polysaccharides and find them quite palatable.