Warning: feeding animals hydrophilic fiber sources in dry diets
Struthers, B.J.
Journal of Nutrition 116(1): 47-49
1986
ISSN/ISBN: 0022-3166 PMID: 3003290 Document Number: 274256
Feeding animals with large quantities of dry hydrophilic fibre sources, such as psyllium husk or guar gum, may result in intestinal obstruction or to other mechanical effects unrelated to the normal function of those materials in diets for man. Such fibre sources should be moistened before feeding, rather than being incorporated into dry diets. The water-holding capacity of psyllium hydrophilic mucilloid for example, is 40 g/g or more compared with 2 to 3 g/g of wheat bran. Consumption of the psyllium product dry would be much more likely to produce intestinal dehydration than would eating dry bran. Because of possible untoward effects of large amounts of those materials, it may also be more appropriate to give such fibre sources in quantities approximating that of their potential human dietary intake, rather than very large quantities that would be unlikely to be attained in diets for man.