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Dietary Inclusion of Wheat Bran Arabinoxylooligosaccharides Induces Beneficial Nutritional Effects in Chickens
Author(s) -
Courtin Christophe M.,
Broekaert Willem F.,
Swennen Katrien,
Lescroart Olivier,
Onagbesan Okanlawon,
Buyse Johan,
Decuypere Eddy,
Van de Wiele Tom,
Marzorati Massimo,
Verstraete Willy,
Huyghebaert Gerard,
Delcour Jan A.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
cereal chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.558
H-Index - 100
eISSN - 1943-3638
pISSN - 0009-0352
DOI - 10.1094/cchem-85-5-0607
Subject(s) - bran , arabinoxylan , chemistry , food science , xylanase , prebiotic , hydrolysis , polysaccharide , oligosaccharide , biochemistry , enzyme , raw material , organic chemistry
In vivo experiments were conducted to verify whether arabinoxylooligosaccharides (AXOS) obtained as low molecular mass compounds by enzymic hydrolysis from wheat bran arabinoxylan (AX) can exert nutritional effects. Two feeding trials were performed on chickens fed diets with either wheat or maize as the main component. Supplementation of bran AXOS at either 0.5% (w/w) to the wheat‐based diet or at 0.25% (w/w) to the maize‐based diet diets significantly ( P < 0.05) improved the feed conversion rate without increasing the body weight of the animals, thus pointing to improved nutrient utilization efficiency. The positive effect of bran AXOS supplementation on feed utilization efficiency was similar to that obtained by adding an AX‐degrading xylanase directly to the wheat‐based diet. No significant effect on feed utilization efficiency was obtained with another type of nondigestible oligosaccharide such as fructooligosaccharides (FOS) derived from chicory roots. Bran AXOS significantly increased the level of bifidobacteria but not total bacteria in the caeca of the chickens, an effect not observed with either xylanase or FOS addition. These data suggest that bran AXOS have beneficial nutritional effects and may act as prebiotics.