The suitability of artichoke and sunflower by-products as renewable sources of pectic compounds with prebiotic potential was evaluated by studying their ability to modulate the human faecal microbiota in vitro. Bacterial populations and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production were measured. Reduction of the molecular weight of artichoke pectin resulted in greater stimulation of the growth of Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus and Bacteroides/Prevotella, whilst this effect was observed only in Bacteroides/Prevotella for sunflower samples. In contrast, the degree of methoxylation did not have any impact on fermentability properties or SCFA production, regardless of the origin of pectic compounds. Although further in vivo studies should be conducted, either pectin or enzymatically-modified pectin from sunflower and artichoke by-products might be considered as prebiotic candidates for human consumption showing similar ability to promote the in vitro growth of beneficial gut bacteria as compared to well-recognized prebiotics such as inulin or fructo-oligosaccharides.
Keywords: Gut microbiota; In vitro fermentation; Modified pectin; Pectin; Prebiotic properties; SCFA.
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