The sugar composition of the fibre in selected plant foods modulates weaning infants' gut microbiome composition and fermentation metabolites in vitro

Sci Rep. 2021 Apr 29;11(1):9292. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-88445-8.

Abstract

Eight plant-based foods: oat flour and pureed apple, blackcurrant, carrot, gold- and green-fleshed kiwifruit, pumpkin, sweetcorn, were pre-digested and fermented with pooled inocula of weaning infants' faecal bacteria in an in vitro hindgut model. Inulin and water were included as controls. The pre-digested foods were analysed for digestion-resistant fibre-derived sugar composition and standardised to the same total fibre concentration prior to fermentation. The food-microbiome interactions were then characterised by measuring microbial acid and gas metabolites, microbial glycosidase activity and determining microbiome structure. At the physiologically relevant time of 10 h of fermentation, the xyloglucan-rich apple and blackcurrant favoured a propiogenic metabolic and microbiome profile with no measurable gas production. Glucose-rich, xyloglucan-poor pumpkin caused the greatest increases in lactate and acetate (indicative of high fermentability) commensurate with increased bifidobacteria. Glucose-rich, xyloglucan-poor oats and sweetcorn, and arabinogalactan-rich carrot also increased lactate and acetate, and were more stimulatory of clostridial families, which are indicative of increased microbial diversity and gut and immune health. Inulin favoured a probiotic-driven consortium, while water supported a proteolytic microbiome. This study shows that the fibre-derived sugar composition of complementary foods may shape infant gut microbiome structure and metabolic activity, at least in vitro.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Avena / chemistry
  • Bacteria / classification
  • Bacteria / enzymology
  • Bacteria / metabolism*
  • Carboxylic Acids / metabolism
  • Dietary Fiber / analysis*
  • Dietary Fiber / metabolism
  • Feces / microbiology
  • Fermentation*
  • Fruit / chemistry
  • Gastrointestinal Microbiome*
  • Glycoside Hydrolases / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Sugars / analysis*
  • Sugars / metabolism
  • Vegetables / chemistry
  • Weaning

Substances

  • Carboxylic Acids
  • Dietary Fiber
  • Sugars
  • Glycoside Hydrolases