BULLETIN 505, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGEICULTURE. 



Summary oj digestion experiments 



with cottonseed oil in 



a simple 



mixed diet. 



Experi- 

 ment No. 



Subject. 



Protein. 



Fat. 



Carbohy- 

 drates". 



Ash. 



139 



D. G. G 



Per cent. 

 77.0 

 71.3 

 66.1 

 70.8 

 76.4 

 67.3 

 66.9 

 82.6 

 70.6 

 38.9 

 56.6 

 68.8 



Per cent. 

 95.8 

 93.9 

 91.6 

 95.8 

 95.1 

 93.7 

 93.3 

 96.9 

 94.3 

 96.4 

 95.3 

 96.9 



Per cent. 

 96.4 

 95.3 

 97.3 

 96.6 

 95.2 

 95.6 

 95.9 

 97.6 

 95.7 

 97.4 

 98.5 

 97.2 



Per cent. 

 64.6 



140 



H. D. G 



51.0 



141 



R. L S .. .. - ... 



50 3 



142 



R. F. T 



62.3 



143 



D. G, G 



58.0 



144 



H. D. G 



48.9 



145 



146 



R.L.S 



R F T . . 



52.7 

 76.8 



246 



H F B 



61.3 



247 . . .. 



D.G G 



68.2 



248 



R I, S 



69 2 



249 



0. E. S 



74.7 











67.8 



94.9 



96.6 



61.5 









The average coeflacient of digestibility of the fat, of which over 

 96.3 per cent was cottonseed oil, was 94.9 per cent, while 67.8 per cent 

 of the protein and 96.6 per cent of the carbohydrates were retained 

 in the body. Making allowance for that portion of the ether extract 

 designated metabolic products the actual availability of the cotton- 

 seed oil becomes 97.6 per cent. In 9 of the 12 experiments the sub- 

 jects reported that the feces were of a normal consistency. In experi- 

 ments Nos. 142 and 247, m which 94 and 98 grams of cottonseed oil 

 was consumed, the subjects reported that the feces were softer than 

 normal. In experiment No. 249, however, in which 125 grams of 

 cottonseed oil was eaten daily, the subject reported the diet as being 

 constipating. Accordingly, it would seem that cottonseed oil does 

 not act as a laxative when eaten in amounts not exceeding 125 grams 

 daily. In view of the fact that 86 grams of cottonseed oil was eaten 

 by each subject daily without digestive disturbances of any kind it 

 is reasonable to conclude that cottonseed oil may be used freely for 

 culinary or table purposes. 



PEANUT OIL. 



The total quantit}'- of peanuts eaten is very large and it foUows 

 that the amount of oil eaten as an integral part of the nuts is also 

 large. The partially separated oil as it occurs in peanut butter is 

 easily recognized, and this, too, is eaten in quantity. The expressed 

 oil has long been known for culinary and table purposes, and its use 

 has increased in the United States as the methods of manufacture 

 have improved. 



The only investigations of the food value of peanut oil of which 

 accounts have been found in the literature are those of Moore ^ on 

 the relative digestibility of various edible fats and oils of vegetable 

 origin, w^hich showed that peanut oil was 86 per cent digested by 

 guinea pigs. 



Part of the oil used in the experiments reported in this bulletin 

 was prepared by the Bureau of Chemistry of the United States 

 Department of Agriculture, and the remainder was purchased in the 

 open market. That obtained from the Bureau of Chemistry was 



1 Loc. cit. 



