Abstract
Bacterial cellulose (BC) is a pasty product made of the gelatinous cellulose formed by Acetobacter aceti. To determine whether its high water-holding capacity influences bowel function, fecal excretion and transit time were measured in rats fed a diet containing 5% BC, cellulose powder or guar gum. Rats fed BC showed the greatest increase in fecal weight. The number of fecal pellets in this group was three times greater than that of the other groups. Addition of BC to the diet decreased the tiansit time from 25.6h to 12.8h. Both BC and guar gum, decieased neutral steiol excretion in feces and increased fecal bile acid excretion. The proportion of coprostanol to total neutral steiols in the cecum was not significantly different between rats fed BC and these fed the fibei-free diet.
