174 



II. DIGESTION AND ABSORPTION OF FATS 



Table 22 



Fat Absorbed as Pebcentage of That Fed and as Milligrams per 100 sq. cm. per 



Hour by Previously Fasted Male Rats over a Four-Hour Period after the 



Feeding of 1.5 ml. of the Various Fats by Stomach Tube 



Fat 

 absorbed. 



Number Fat absorbed in 4 hrs. mg./lOO 



of rats Fat fed, sq. 



Kind of fat fed in group mg.6 Per cent Weight cm./hr.c 



Animal fats: 



Butter oil 10 1402 71.0 ±1.2 996 62.3 



Halibut liver oil 10 1390° 70.2 ± 2.0 975 60.8 



Cod-liver oil 10 1390 67.7 ± 1.9 940 58.8 



Whale oil 9 1390-' 62.1 ±1.3 864 54.0 



Butterfat 10 1402 60.3 ±1.2 847 53.0 



Lard 10 1404 57.0 ± 1.5 800 50.0 



Lard(rancid) 10 1404 53.8 ±1.6 755 47.2 



Oleo-stock 10 1402* 35.8 ±1.0 503 31.4 



Vegetable fats: 



Linseed oil (raw) 9 1398 67.0 ±0.9 937 58.5 



Olive oil 10 1370 63.4 ±1.8 868 54.4 



Soybean oil 10 1388 58.5 ±1.4 812 50.7 



Corn oil 10 1385 58.3 ± 0.9 808 50.5 



Peanut oil 9 1372 58.3 ± 1.7 800 50.0 



Shortening A 10 1382/ 53.8 ± 1.6 744 46.5 



Cottonseed oil 10 1380 53.7 ±1.6 742 46.4 



Shortening B 10 1382/ 52.8 ±2.4 732 45.7 



Cocoa butter 9 1440 47.9 ± 1.1 689 43. 1 



Coconut oil 9 1390 47.4 ± 1.6 659 41 .2 



Palmoil 10 1378 37.4 ±1.5 516 32.2 



° Data adapted from H. Steenbock, M. H. Irwin, and J. Weber, /. Nutrition, 12, 103- 

 111 (1936). 



6 Calculated from specific gravity of fat or oil. 



c Based on rat having surface area of 400 sq. cm. 



d Based on specific gravity of cod liver oil. 



e Based on specific gravity of lard. 



/ Based on specific gravity of cottonseed oil. 



In Tables 23 and 24, which report the absorption rates of natural fats 

 and hydrogenated fats, respectively, for rats of both sexes, the dosages of 

 fat given and the calculation of the rate of absorption are based upon the 

 procedures of Deuel and his co-workers. 612,614 



The rates of absorption of butterfat, coconut, corn, and cottonseed oils 

 and prime steam lard (Table 23), and of margarine fat (Table 24), are in the 

 same range in the six- or eight-hour tests, although, in the studies at the 

 three-hour interval, butter appears to be absorbed somewhat more readily. 

 On the other hand, the absorption rate of rapeseed oil is definitely slower 

 than that of other limpid oils. 



