title: Effects of pectin on fermentation characteristics, carbohydrate utilization, and microbial community composition in the gastrointestinal tract of weaning pigs.
abstract: We aimed to investigate the effects of three different soluble pectins on the digestion of other consumed carbohydrates, and the consequent alterations of microbiota composition and SCFA levels in the intestine of pigs.
  
  
  
  Piglets were fed a low-methyl esterified pectin enriched diet (LMP), a high-methyl esterified pectin enriched diet (HMP), a hydrothermal treated soybean meal enriched diet (aSBM) or a control diet (CONT). LMP significantly decreased the ileal digestibility of starch resulting in more starch fermentation in the proximal colon. In the ileum, low-methyl esterified pectin present was more efficiently fermented by the microbiota than high-methyl esterified pectin present which was mainly fermented by the microbiota in the proximal colon. Treated soybean meal was mainly fermented in the proximal colon and shifted the fermentation of cereal dietary fiber to more distal parts, resulting in high SCFA levels in the mid colon. LMP, HMP, and aSBM decreased the relative abundance of the genus Lactobacillus and increased that of Prevotella in the colon.
  
  
  
  The LMP, HMP, and aSBM, differently affected the digestion processes compared to the control diet and shaped the colonic microbiota from a Lactobacillus-dominating flora to a Prevotella-dominating community, with potential health-promoting effects.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Food Chemistry, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Lingmin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.affiliation: Nutrition Sciences N.V, Ghent (Drongen), Belgium.
authors.forename: Geert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bruggeman
authors.affiliation: DSM Biotechnology Center, Delft, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: van den Berg
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Klaudyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Borewicz
authors.affiliation: Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Science, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Anton J W
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Scheurink
authors.affiliation: Agrifirm Innovation Center, Apeldoorn, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bruininx
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: de Vos
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Hauke
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Smidt
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Food Chemistry, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Henk A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Schols
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Food Chemistry, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Harry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gruppen
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D050260:Carbohydrate Metabolism; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D004063:Digestion; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry; D005285:Fermentation; D000069196:Gastrointestinal Microbiome / Q000187:drug effects*; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D007420:Intestine, Large / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D010368:Pectins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013025:Glycine max; D013213:Starch / Q000378:metabolism / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D013552:Swine; D014886:Weaning
chemical_list: D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004043:Dietary Fiber; D010368:Pectins; D013213:Starch
keywords: Autoclave soybean meal; Dietary fiber; Digestibility; Fermentation; Microbiota composition