Six healthy volunteers (medical students and
laboratory staff at St Bartholomew’s Hospital,
London; 3 male, 3 female, between 22 and 26 years
old) consumed their normal free choice diet, or that
diet with an additional 18 g high-methoxyl apple
pectin (a gift from Bulmers Ltd, Hereford, UK),
30g coarse wheat bran (40 per cent crude fibre
content; 80 per cent in the particle size range
0.7-2.0 mm; Jordan (Cereals) Ltd, Biggleswade,
UK) or an approximate 50 per cent increase in
mixed fat intake (such that each subject consumed
approx. 150 g fat/day). Approximately one half of
the plant fibre supplements were consumed with
breakfast, the remainder with the evening meal. The
bran was added directly to the meal, while the pectin
was hydrated in approximately 200 ml of tap water,
flavoured with a fruit cordial. The dietary regimes
lasted for 20-22 days with alternate control and
treatment periods, and ran consecutively over 5
months. Dietary assessment was performed during
the final week of each period by asking each subject
to complete a 7 day food r e ~ o r dB. ~as ed on the
description of the food taken, a weight was assigned
by a dietician and the nutrient content computed
from standard tables.”
All subjects participated with informed written
consent, and the study protocol approved by the
Ethical Committee, St Bartholomew’s Hospital,
London.