Studies on the action of pectin in depressing the growth of chicks

Citrus pectin (40 g/kg diet) significantly depressed weight gain and food utilisation when fed to young chicks. This effect was not associated with pathological manifestations or signs of deficiency. Feeding pectin at 40 g/kg diet did not affect the retention of energy, nitrogen, lipids or calcium, but decreased serum and liver total cholesterol and altered the glucose tolerance of chicks by retarding clearance of ingested glucose from blood. Supplementation of the pectin-containing diet with penicillin (70 mg/kg), with selected essential elements and vitamins, or increasing the energy density of the diet had no ameliorating effect on the depressed growth. Pair-feeding showed that pectin depressed food intake, reduced carcase lipid content and increased carcase moisture content.