Prebiotic Potential of a Maize-Based Soluble Fibre and Impact of Dose on the Human Gut Microbiota

PLoS One. 2016 Jan 5;11(1):e0144457. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0144457. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

Dietary management of the human gut microbiota towards a more beneficial composition is one approach that may improve host health. To date, a large number of human intervention studies have demonstrated that dietary consumption of certain food products can result in significant changes in the composition of the gut microbiota i.e. the prebiotic concept. Thus the prebiotic effect is now established as a dietary approach to increase beneficial gut bacteria and it has been associated with modulation of health biomarkers and modulation of the immune system. Promitor™ Soluble Corn Fibre (SCF) is a well-known maize-derived source of dietary fibre with potential selective fermentation properties. Our aim was to determine the optimum prebiotic dose of tolerance, desired changes to microbiota and fermentation of SCF in healthy adult subjects. A double-blind, randomised, parallel study was completed where volunteers (n = 8/treatment group) consumed 8, 14 or 21 g from SCF (6, 12 and 18 g/fibre delivered respectively) over 14-d. Over the range of doses studied, SCF was well tolerated Numbers of bifidobacteria were significantly higher for the 6 g/fibre/day compared to 12 g and 18 g/fibre delivered/day (mean 9.25 and 9.73 Log10 cells/g fresh faeces in the pre-treatment and treatment periods respectively). Such a numerical change of 0.5 Log10 bifidobacteria/g fresh faeces is consistent with those changes observed for inulin-type fructans, which are recognised prebiotics. A possible prebiotic effect of SCF was therefore demonstrated by its stimulation of bifidobacteria numbers in the overall gut microbiota during a short-term intervention.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Bacteria / classification
  • Bacteria / isolation & purification*
  • Bacterial Typing Techniques
  • Bifidobacterium / isolation & purification
  • Body Mass Index
  • Defecation / drug effects
  • Dietary Fiber / administration & dosage
  • Dietary Fiber / adverse effects
  • Dietary Fiber / pharmacology
  • Dietary Fiber / therapeutic use*
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Feces / microbiology
  • Female
  • Fermentation
  • Flatulence / etiology
  • Gastrointestinal Microbiome / drug effects*
  • Humans
  • In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Patient Acceptance of Health Care
  • Prebiotics*
  • Young Adult
  • Zea mays*

Substances

  • Dietary Fiber
  • Prebiotics

Grants and funding

The present study was funded by Tate & Lyle Ingredients Americas LLC. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.