RESUMO
Brewer's spent grain (BSG) is the major side-stream from brewing. As BSG is rich in dietary fiber and protein, it could be used in more valuable applications, such as nutritional additives for foods. Our aim was to elucidate whether an insoluble lignin-rich fraction (INS) from BSG is metabolized by mice gut microbiota and how it affects the microbiota. Our results indicated that lignin was partially degraded by the gut microbiota, degradation products were absorbed, and finally excreted in urine. Therefore, they contribute to the phenolic pool circulating in the mammalian body, and may have systemic effects on health. In addition, the effects of the test diets on the microbiota were significant. Most interestingly, diversities of predominant cecal and fecal bacteria were higher after the intervention diet containing INS than after the intervention diet containing cellulose. Since low fecal bacterial diversity has been linked with numerous diseases and disorders, the diversity increasing ability opens very interesting perspectives for the future.