Phosphopeptides and soluble calcium in the small intestine of rats given a casein diet

1. Semi-synthetic diets containing 200 g protein/kg were meal-fed for 1.5 h to groups of rats. The contents of the whole small intestinal tract were collected and the amount of soluble calcium was determined. 2. In the rats given 200 g casein/kg diet, formation of a fraction containing macrophosphopeptide in the small intestine was confirmed by gelfitration of the intestinal contents on Sephadex G-25. However, this macrophosphopeptide fraction was not found when casein alone was fed. 3. In the intestinal contents at 2.5 h after ingestion, the amounts of both soluble Ca and phosphorus were significantly higher in rats fed the casein diet than in those fed diets containing egg albumin, isolated soya-bean protein or an amino acid mixture. However, the amount of insoluble Ca was least in rats fed the casein diet.