EN
A potential source of potato dietary fibre (PDF) is potato pulp, a waste product of the starch industry. The refined potato pulp (PDF preparation) contains 50-60% of DF, 10-20% of starch and 6% of protein (on dry matter basis). PDF consists of about 55% of insoluble (mainly cellulose) and 45% of soluble (mainly pectins) fraction; has low viscosity and relatively high water-holding capacity but lower fecal bulking properties than cellulose. It is intensively fermented in the large intestine, yielding a high amount of acetate and butyrate. Feeding PDF does not affect greatly morphology and morphometry of the intestinal tract. It delays the rate of passage of digesta (as compared with cellulose), reduces fat and protein digestibility in the whole digestive tract and does not affect ileal protein digestibility (as compared with cellulose and pectin). It seems to improve mineral absorption. Few experimental results do not allow to conclude whether PDF decreases blood concentration of triglycerides, total cholesterol or LDL fraction. Data on the effects of PDF on glucose and insulin levels are also scarce and insufficient.