The prebiotic, oligofructose-enriched inulin modulates the faecal metabolite profile: an in vitro analysis.
METHODS
Health benefits of prebiotic administration have been judged mainly from the increased numbers of bifidobacteria and the enhanced production of short-chain fatty acids in the colon. Only a few studies have focused on the capacity of prebiotics to decrease the proteolytic fermentation, which might contribute to health as well.


RESULTS
The influence of the prebiotic oligofructose-enriched inulin (OF-IN) on the pattern of volatile organic compounds was characterized using an in vitro faecal model. Faecal slurries, obtained from healthy subjects, were anaerobically incubated at 37 °C with and without different doses of OF-IN (2.5, 5, 10, or 20 mg) and changes in the metabolite pattern and pH were evaluated. A total of 107 different volatile organic compounds were identified and classified according to their chemical classes. The concentration of esters and acids significantly increased with increasing doses of OF-IN. Similar effects were observed for some aldehydes. To the contrary, OF-IN dose-dependently inhibited the formation of S-compounds. Also, the generation of other protein fermentation metabolites such as phenolic compounds was inhibited in the presence of OF-IN.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results confirmed a clear dose-dependent stimulation of saccharolytic fermentation. Importantly, a significant decrease in toxic protein fermentation metabolites such as sulphides attended these effects.
De Preter
Vicky
V
Department of Gastrointestinal Research and Leuven Food Science and Nutrition Centre (LFoRCe), University Hospital Gasthuisberg, K.U. Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Falony
Gwen
G
Windey
Karen
K
Hamer
Henrike M
HM
De Vuyst
Luc
L
Verbeke
Kristin
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001644:Bifidobacterium / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003106:Colon / Q000382:microbiology; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile / Q000032:analysis; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005285:Fermentation; D006801:Humans; D007444:Inulin / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000378:metabolism*; D056692:Prebiotics; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000032:analysis*; D055815:Young Adult
D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile; D009844:Oligosaccharides; D056692:Prebiotics; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds; C120489:oligofructose; D007444:Inulin