Influence of the type of indigestible carbohydrate on plasma and urine short-chain fatty acid profiles in healthy human volunteers.
OBJECTIVE
Health effects of whole grain foods are becoming more evident. In this study, we analysed the short-chain fatty acid profiles in urine and serum derived from the colonic fermentation process of (13)C-barley meals, prepared from barley grown under (13)CO(2) atmosphere.


METHODS
In a crossover study, five volunteers ingested intact barley kernels (high content of non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) and resistant starch (RS)) and barley porridge (high content of NSP only). Using a newly developed stable isotope technology, we monitored 14 and 24 h postprandially (13)C-acetate, (13)C-propionate and (13)C-butyrate in plasma and urine, respectively. The oro-cecal transit time (OCTT) of the meals was measured with the hydrogen breath test.


RESULTS
The OCTT was 6 h and did not differ between the two test meals. An increase of (13)C-acetate was observed already early after ingestion of the meals (<6 h) and was attributed to early fermentation of the test meal. A rise in plasma (13)C-propionate in the fermentation phase could only be detected after the porridge and not after the kernel meal. An increase in (13)C-butyrate was only found in the fermentation phase and was higher after the barley kernels. Urine (13)C-short-chain fatty acids data were consistent with these observations.


CONCLUSIONS
The difference in the profiles of (13)C-acetate, (13)C-propionate and (13)C-butyrate indicates that NSP combined with RS results in an altered fermentation profile than dietary fibre alone.
Verbeke
K
K
Department of Gastrointestinal Research and Leuven Food and Nutrition Research Centre (LFoRCe), Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. kristin.verbeke@uz.kuleuven.be
Ferchaud-Roucher
V
V
Preston
T
T
Small
A C
AC
Henckaerts
L
L
Krempf
M
M
Wang
H
H
Vonk
R J
RJ
Priebe
M G
MG
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001944:Breath Tests; D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002523:Edible Grain; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine*; D005285:Fermentation; D005772:Gastrointestinal Transit / Q000187:drug effects*; D001467:Hordeum / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019518:Postprandial Period; D012016:Reference Values; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D013213:Starch / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004043:Dietary Fiber; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile; D011134:Polysaccharides; D013213:Starch