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Short‐term feeding of fermentable dietary fibres influences the gut microbiota composition and metabolic activity in rats
Author(s) -
Paturi Gunaranjan,
Butts Christine A.,
Stoklosinski Halina,
Herath Thanuja D.,
Monro John A.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
international journal of food science and technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.831
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1365-2621
pISSN - 0950-5423
DOI - 10.1111/ijfs.13543
Subject(s) - inulin , food science , bacteroides , gut flora , prebiotic , biology , bifidobacterium , butyric acid , pectin , clostridium perfringens , feces , prevotella , resistant starch , microbiology and biotechnology , polysaccharide , lactobacillus , bacteria , starch , biochemistry , fermentation , genetics
Summary This study investigated the effects of dietary fibres on gut bacterial abundance and metabolic activity in rats fed short‐term. Faecal samples from rats fed for 7 days showed differences in the effects of dietary fibres on gut bacterial populations. Broccoli fibre, inulin, potato fibre and potato resistant starch significantly increased the faecal Bacteroides‐Prevotella‐Porphyromonas group compared with cellulose. Growth of pathogenic bacteria such as Clostridium perfringens , Escherichia coli and Enterococcus spp. was decreased significantly in rats fed barley β‐glucan, citrus pectin, inulin and broccoli fibre diets. An increase in Bifidobacterium spp. and butyric acid levels, the so‐called bifidogenic and butyrogenic effects, was observed in rats fed inulin and potato fibre diets. Organic acid concentrations and polysaccharide contents in the rat faeces confirm the fermentability of dietary fibres in the gut. This study demonstrates the positive effects of plant‐sourced dietary fibres on gut microbiota composition and metabolic activity.