Artificial digestion is a laboratory technique that reduces digestible material for analytical purposes. Naturally occurring digestive agents such as pepsin and hydrochloric acid are typically used to accomplish artificial digestion.
As an example, artificial digestion is used to detect the presence of encysted trichinella larvae in suspected muscle tissue. The meat sample is dissolved by a digestive solution and the remains are examined for the presence of larvae.
Famous quotes containing the words artificial and/or digestion:
“Description is revelation. It is not
The thing described, nor false facsimile.
It is an artificial thing that exists,
In its own seeming, plainly visible,
Yet not too closely the double of our lives,
Intenser than any actual life could be....”
—Wallace Stevens (1879–1955)
“I could not help but say that Mr. Carlyle seemed the only virtuous philosopher we had. Upon which his wife answered, “My dear, if Mr. Carlyle’s digestion had been stronger, there is no saying what he might have been!””
—Margaret Oliphant (1828–1897)