Chicory root and inulin stimulate butyrate-producing bacterial communities in an in vitro model of the piglet's gastro-intestinal tract. (November 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Uerlings, Julie; Schroyen, Martine; Bindelle, Jérôme; Bruggeman, Geert; Everaert, Nadia
• Is Part Of: Bioactive carbohydrates and dietary fibre. Number 26(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-11
• Subjects: By-products -- Microbiota -- Fermentation -- In vitro -- Pig; Functional foods -- Periodicals; Fiber in human nutrition -- Periodicals; Carbohydrates -- Periodicals; Glycoproteins -- Periodicals; Functional Food -- Periodicals; Dietary Fiber -- Periodicals; Carbohydrates -- Periodicals; Carbohydrates; Fiber in human nutrition; Functional foods; Glycoproteins; Periodicals; 613.28
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bcdf.2021.100269
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2212-6198

Abstract

Abstract: Nutritional management is a promising strategy to alleviate intestinal disorders around weaning in pig production. By-products from the agro-industrial sector are major sources of dietary fibres suitable for livestock feeding and could represent potential prebiotic candidates to modulate beneficial microbiota populations and especially butyrate-producing bacteria. In the present study, chicory root and pulp, citrus pulp, rye bran and soybean hulls were tested in an in vitro batch fermentation model for their microbiota-modulating capacities in comparison to inulin, considered as positive prebiotic control. The microbiota composition in the broths after 6, 12 and 24 h of fermentation was analysed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. After 24 h, the fermentation of chicory root led to a rise in Firmicutes relative abundance, similar to inulin. Enriched Eubacterium spp. and Ruminococcus spp. levels were found for chicory root and inulin at each of the three time-points in comparison to the other ingredients. These two genera were positively correlated to butyrate production after 12 and 24 h. The tested by-products showed increased levels of Bacteroidetes after 6 h compared to inulin. At each time-point, higher relative proportions of Bacteroides spp. were found with the by-products in comparison to inulin. We can therefore suppose that inulin and chicory root supplementations promoted the Firmicutes phylum by stimulating butyrate-producing bacteria in vitro . Chicory root and inulin could therefore be considered as prebiotic ingredients to modulate butyrate production in vivo, with beneficial effects on intestinal health. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: Chicory root enriched the Firmicutes phylum in comparison to the other by-products. Chicory root and inulin stimulated butyrate-producing communities. The alpha diversity metrics of all by-products were equal to the ones of inulin.