# Starch Digestion Characteristics of Different Starch Sources and Their Effects on Goslings’ Apparent Nutrient Utilization

## TL;DR

This study examines how different starch sources affect digestion and nutrient utilization in goslings, finding that glutinous rice starch is digested faster and improves protein digestion.

## Contribution

The study introduces new insights into how starch source affects nutrient metabolism in goslings through combined in vitro and in vivo methods.

## Key findings

- Glutinous rice starch has a faster digestion rate compared to corn and high-amylose rice.
- Glutinous rice diet improves the utilization of specific amino acids like Asp, Ser, and Glu.
- Starch structure and particle size significantly influence digestion kinetics and nutrient efficiency in goslings.

## Abstract

Starch serves as a primary energy source in poultry nutrition, hydrolyzed into glucose to meet metabolic requirements. Its digestion is influenced by intrinsic factors, particularly the particle size and structural properties. These variations in starch creation directly determine its digestibility kinetics, subsequently governing postprandial blood glucose responses and the efficiency of crude protein and amino acid utilization in geese. Consequently, elucidating the interplay between starch digestion and protein metabolism is fundamental for understanding goose nutrition science and formulating diets that optimize health, growth, and nutrient efficiency.

This study used integrated in vitro and in vivo approaches to investigate how the starch source (glutinous rice, indica rice, maize, or high-amylose rice) influences starch digestion kinetics and, consequently, the apparent nutrient utilization and amino acid metabolism in goslings. Four diets were formulated using glutinous rice, indica rice, maize, and high-amylose rice, and in vitro digestion and animal experiments were carried out. The data showed the particle sizes of the four starches: glutinous rice ≈ indica rice < corn < amylose. The glutinous rice starch grain is a porous polyhedron with an angular surface, the corn starch grain is an ellipsoid with a smooth surface, the indica rice starch grain is a polyhedron with a smooth and compact surface, and the high-amylose starch grain is an irregular polyhedron with a smooth surface. Starch digestibility was relatively stable for the indica and corn-based diets, and starch digestibility was higher for the indica rice diet compared to the corn- and high-amylose starch-based diets. The utilization of Asp, Ser, Glu, Gly, and Phe was higher for the glutinous rice diet compared to the maize and high-amylose diets. Furthermore, with this diet, the availability of Thr and Ala was observed to be higher than with the indica rice and high-amylose diets. In conclusion, the particle size and structure of starch from different sources (glutinous rice, indica rice, corn, and high-amylose rice) were different, significantly affecting the starch digestion rate. The glutinous rice diet enables a fast digestion rate for starch, which is rapidly digested in the proximal intestine. The inadequate supply of glucose in the distal intestine enhances the oxidative energy supply from dietary amino acids in that region, thereby improving the apparent digestibility of both starch and crude protein.