title: Developing a quantitative approach for determining the in vitro prebiotic potential of dietary oligosaccharides.
abstract: Prebiotics are nondigestible carbohydrates that beneficially affect the host by selectively stimulating the growth and/or activity of one, or a limited number of, bacteria present in the colon. The selected genera should have the capacity to improve host health (e.g. Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus). To help identify preferred types, for inclusion into the diet, a quantitative equation [measure of the prebiotic effect (MPE)] is suggested. This will help evaluate, in vitro, the fermentation of dietary carbohydrates and compare their prebiotic effect. Although the approach is not meant to define health values, it is formulated to better inform the choice of prebiotic. It therefore, compares measurements of bacterial changes through the determination of maximum growth rates of predominant groups present in faeces, rate of substrate assimilation and the production of lactic, acetic, propionic and butyric acids. The equation will allow further in vitro comparisons of MPE, leading towards further studies (e.g. in humans) to determine the success of dietary intervention.
authors.affiliation: Food Microbial Sciences Unit, School of Food Biosciences, The University of Reading, Whiteknights, RG6 6AP, UK. jvulevic@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Jelena
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vulevic
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Rastall
authors.forename: Glenn R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Gibson
mesh_terms: D000106:Acetate-CoA Ligase / Q000378:metabolism; D001644:Bifidobacterium / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D002087:Butyrates / Q000378:metabolism; D019422:Dietary Sucrose / Q000378:metabolism; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005285:Fermentation; D005685:Galactans / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007422:Intestines / Q000382:microbiology*; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D008351:Mannans / Q000378:metabolism; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000378:metabolism*; D053149:Plant Gums; D019936:Probiotics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011422:Propionates / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002087:Butyrates; D019422:Dietary Sucrose; D005685:Galactans; D008351:Mannans; D009844:Oligosaccharides; D053149:Plant Gums; D011422:Propionates; D019344:Lactic Acid; C007894:guar gum; D000106:Acetate-CoA Ligase