palmitin test

pal·min test

, palmitin testa test of pancreatic efficiency, based on the finding that the presence of fat in the stomach causes the pylorus to open and admit the pancreatic juice; this splits the palmin so that an examination of the stomach contents, after a test meal containing palmin, will reveal the presence of fatty acids.

palmitin test

An obsolete and unwieldy test of pancreatic exocrine function based on the ability of fat in the stomach to cause the pylorus to open; this allows the pancreatic secretions to enter the stomach and breakdown the palmitin (tripalmitin), which is identified by gastric aspiration.