Birch wood-derived fiber extracts containing glucuronoxylans (GX) and polyphenols show potential for various food technological applications. This study investigated the effect of two extracts, GXpoly and pureGX, differing in lignin content on colonic barrier function. Healthy rats were fed diets containing 10% GXpoly, pureGX, or cellulose for 4 weeks. Colon crypt depth was lower in the GX groups than in the control group, but in the proximal colon, the result was significant only in GXpoly. An artificial intelligence approach was established to measure the mucus content and goblet cells. In the distal colon, their amounts were higher in the control group than in the GX groups. All diets had a similar effect on the expression of the tight junction proteins occludin, claudin-1, and claudin-7. GXpoly enhanced the fecal IgA production. Our results suggest that GX-rich extracts could support the colonic barrier and work as functional food ingredients in the future.
Keywords: artificial intelligence (AI); birch (Betula sp.); intestinal barrier; lignin; mucus layer; tight junctions.