Selective in vivo effect of chitosan on fatty acid, neutral sterol and bile acid excretion: A longitudinal study

► Chitosan selectively reduces fat absorption and has higher affinity to bind fatty acids with higher polarity. ► Intestinal bioconversion of cholesterol and bile acids is inhibited by chitosan. ► Digestion-resistant maltodextrin increases neutral sterol excretion and intestinal bioconversion of cholesterol. ► The ratio of n−6/n−3 fatty acids in faeces is significantly increased by chitosan. ► Results reveal that chitosan could be of relevant interest for balancing the ratio of n−6 and n−3 essential fatty acids.