Release of endogenous cholecystokinin (CCK) from the small intestine by gastric loads was investigated in rats on postnatal days 9--12 (P9--P12). After 5--6 h of deprivation, pups received 5% b.wt. loads of water, 0.9% NaCl, 20% glucose, 20% maltose, 200 mg soybean trypsin inhibitor (SBTI) in 0.9% saline or sham load. Plasma was collected 15 min after the loads, and the concentration of bioactive CCK was measured by a specific and sensitive bioassay. Loads of SBTI and water significantly increased plasma CCK compared to sham loads, but loads of saline, glucose, and maltose did not. The efficacy of the water load was not demonstrated in adult rats. The results suggest that the previously reported reduction of intake during independent ingestion by hypertonic preloads of glucose and maltose was not mediated by the release of CCK sufficient to be detected in the plasma under these conditions.