Physicochemical characterisation of dietary fibre components and their ability to bind some process-induced mutagenic heterocyclic amines, Trp-P-1, Trp-P-2, AαC and MeAαC.

The physicochemical properties of potato fibre, wheat bran and oat samples were investigated, along with their binding capability to heterocyclic amines (HCAs). Potato fibre displayed highest total dietary fibre content (71.8/100g dry weight basis, dwb), followed by wheat bran (57.2/100 g dwb) and oat sample 2 (53.0/100 g dwb). Oat samples 1, 3 and 4 displayed considerably lower dietary fibre content (20.5-28.8/100g, dwb). Oat samples 3 and 4 displayed highest soluble fibre content (70-83%), and oat sample 3 also displayed highest swelling and water retention capacity (WRC). Dietary fibre samples, except samples 3 and 4, displayed improved binding to HCAs as sample weight increased. The behaviour of wheat bran and potato fibre was similar to oat samples 1 and 2. Binding of MeAαC was comparatively greater than that of other HCAs. Dietary fibre fractions with high insoluble fibre and functional groups of HCAs may significantly contribute to the binding capacity.

The effect of selected synbiotics on microbial composition and short-chain fatty acid production in a model system of the human colon.

BACKGROUND: Prebiotics, probiotics and synbiotics can be used to modulate both the composition and activity of the gut microbiota and thereby potentially affecting host health beneficially. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of eight synbiotic combinations on the composition and activity of human fecal microbiota using a four-stage semicontinuous model system of the human colon. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Carbohydrates were selected by their ability to enhance growth of the probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM (NCFM) and Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis Bl-04 (Bl-04) under laboratory conditions. The most effective carbohydrates for each probiotic were further investigated, using the colonic model, for the ability to support growth of the probiotic bacteria, influence the composition of the microbiota and stimulate formation of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA).The following combinations were studied: NCFM with isomaltulose, cellobiose, raffinose and an oat ß-glucan hydrolysate (OBGH) and Bl-04 with melibiose, xylobiose, raffinose and maltotriose. All carbohydrates showed capable of increasing levels of NCFM and Bl-04 during fermentations in the colonic model by 10(3)-10(4) fold and 10-10(2) fold, respectively. Also the synbiotic combinations decreased the modified ratio of Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes (calculated using qPCR results for Bacteroides-Prevotella-Porphyromonas group, Clostridium perfringens cluster I, Clostridium coccoides - Eubacterium rectale group and Clostridial cluster XIV) as well as significantly increasing SCFA levels, especially acetic and butyric acid, by three to eight fold, as compared to the controls. The decreases in the modified ratio of Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes were found to be correlated to increases in acetic and butyric acid (p=0.04 and p=0.03, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study show that all synbiotic combinations investigated are able to shift the predominant bacteria and the production of SCFA of fecal microbiota in a model system of the human colon, thereby potentially being able to manipulate the microbiota in a way connected to human health.