Changes in splanchnic metabolism in pigs were assessed after meals containing slowly or rapidly digested starch. The pigs were fed a mixed meal containing a "slow" native (n = 5) or a "rapid" pregelatinized (n = 5) cornstarch naturally enriched with [¹³C]glucose. Absorption of [¹³C]glucose was monitored by the arteriovenous difference technique, and infusion of D-[6,6-²H₂]glucose in the jugular vein was used to calculate the systemic appearance of [¹³C]glucose. Arteriovenous balance data obtained during a 12-h study period showed that the fraction of ingested glucose equivalent appearing as glucose in the portal vein was 49.7 ± 7.2% for the slow starch and 48.2 ± 7.5% for the rapid starch (P = 0.86). These values, corrected for the gut extraction of circulating [¹³C]glucose, became 66.4 ± 5.6 and 65.3 ± 5.6%, respectively (P = 0.35). Isotope dilution data indicated that systemic appearance of exogenous [¹³C]glucose represented 62.9 ± 7.6 and 67.4 ± 3.0% of the oral load for slow and rapid starch, respectively (P = 0.68). Arterial glucose utilization by the gut increased from 7.3 ± 0.9 µmol · kg¹ · min¹ before the meal to 8.5 ± 1.6 µmol · kg¹ · min¹ during absorption, independently of the nature of the starch. Thus splanchnic glucose metabolism was unaffected by the nature of starch ingested.