Comparative Studies Concerning the Digestibility of Raw, Heated and High-Pressure-Treated Foods in Young Pigs and In Vitro

Abstract

The aim of this research was to show the influence of the high-pressure treatment on the digestibility of food-stuffs. Test methods used were feeding trials and in vitro digestibility tests. Feeding trials using pigs showed no changes in the digestibility of the individual nutrient fractions of high-pressure-treated food-stuffs as compared to fresh goods. The nutritional value of the proteins also remained unchanged. Differences could be seen in heat-treated food-stuffs. The digestibility as well as the nutritional value of the proteins decreased significantly by the treatment. NFE, fats and crude fibre showed no changes. The in vitro digestibility trials showed different results to the feeding trials. No significant differences between the high-pressure-treated and the untreated samples of pork could be seen, whereas the pressure-treated samples of the soybeans had a better digestibility than the untreated.