Oro-gastro-intestinal Digestion of Emulsified Fat

Interaction of fat with the mouth, stomach and intestine will trigger physiological responses that will impact on the digestion, gut transit time and absorption of fat. These responses will also influence and contribute to regulation of food intake and satiety. No systematic research on understanding how the physiological-chemical properties of food affect the digestion and absorption of lipids has been carried out previously. Studies have shown that the release of free fatty acids triggers the fat-related responses. The investigators hypothesize that the release of fatty acids depends on the colloidal state of the fat, which changes progressively due to the pH changes and enzyme activities in the mouth, stomach and intestine.