The slowing of gastric emptying by proteins in test meals

1. Test solutions containing either glucose, casein, partially hydrolysed gelatin or egg albumin, native or denatured, at concentrations up to 50 g/l. in 33 mM-trisodium citrate solution, were given by tube into the stomachs of nine subjects in volumes of 600 or 750 ml. 2. The volume of the test solution recovered from the stomach after 20 min was measured. 3. The greater the concentration of solute the greater was the volume of the test solution recovered. 4. Gram for gram, gelatin hydrolysate was equivalent to glucose in slowing gastric emptying. Casein was slightly more effective than glucose and native egg albumin was less effective than glucose. 5. The results were explained by assuming that the products of hydrolysis of proteins stimulated osmoreceptors in the walls of the duodenum. 6. The results were in line with the suggestion that proteins in food contribute to the slowing of gastric emptying in such a way that isocaloric amounts of carbohydrate and mixed protein have the same effect. 7. There was a strong correlation between the concentration of glucose giving a recovery of 400 ml. and the corresponding concentration of casein within-subject, but there was no such relationship for gelatin hydrolysate. It was concluded that the between-subject variability in the digestion of casein was small, that for gelatin hydrolysate was large.