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Almonds (Amygdalus communis L.) as a possible source of prebiotic functional food
Author(s) -
Mandalari Giuseppina,
Tomaino Antonio,
Faulks Richard M.,
Arcoraci Teresita,
Bisignano Giuseppe,
Saija Antonella,
Wickham Martin S.,
Narbad Arjan
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.22.1_supplement.698.1
Subject(s) - prebiotic , food science , ingredient , bacteria , chemistry , fermentation , digestion (alchemy) , functional food , inulin , population , biology , genetics , demography , chromatography , sociology
A prebiotic is “a nondigestible food ingredient which beneficially affects the host by selectively stimulating the growth of one or a limited number of species of bacteria in the colon thereby improving host health”. Here we describe the potential prebiotic properties of almond seeds and skins. Finely (FG) and defatted (DG) ground almonds, raw (RS) and blanched (BS) almond skins were initially digested in a simulated model of human gastric and duodenal digestion. Post‐duodenal digests were tested for potential prebiotic properties using in vitro batch fermentation systems seeded with human colonic bacteria. A significant increase in bifidobacteria and eubacteria was observed after 24h incubation with FG, whereas no significant change in the bacterial population occurred with addition of DG. Both RS and BS produced an increase in bacteria beneficial to the human colon. A prebiotic index (PI), giving a relative indication of the prebiotic potential, was calculated to be 5.0 with FG and compares well with the value of 6.4 obtained with fructo‐oligosaccharide (FOS), an established prebiotic carbohydrate. The effect on the production of short chain fatty acids, indicators of beneficial bacterial growth, was also determined. These results indicate the presence of bioactive components within almonds that stimulate growth of beneficial intestinal bacteria. This work was funded by the Almond Board of California.