ABSTRACT
Minipigs are increasingly being used for safety assessment of food. Minipigs are useful because the anatomy and physiology of digestion and associated metabolic processes are very similar to humans. In this chapter the minipig is recommended as an ideal model in food and nutritional research. Despite the popularity of swine for regulatory purposes, they are rarely speci¢ed in of¢cial test guidelines as the non-rodent species of ¢rst choice. However, swineincluding minipigs-have been used to elucidate the effects of chronic over indulgence in certain foods (e.g., Olestra). Although the minipig has not been used as the primary nonrodent species for pesticide registration, it is an acceptable model for regulatory testing. Minipigs have been used in organophosphorus (OP) research and recently used to investigate the pathophysiology of dimethoate poisoning. The minipig should be considered an acceptable model by agrochemical and chemical regulatory agencies.
