Intestinal steroids in rats are influenced by the structural parameters of pectin.

We investigated the effects of pectin with different degrees of methylation (34.5, 70.8, and 92.

The degree of methylation influences the degradation of pectin in the intestinal tract of rats and in vitro.

We investigated the degradation, metabolism, fate, and selected effects of pectin in the intestinal tract of rats. Conventional and germfree rats were fed for 3 wk diets containing 6.5% pectin (degree of methylation 34.