RESUMEN
We investigated the effects of (poly)phenol-rich sugarcane extract (PRSE), sugarcane fibre (SCFiber), and the combination of them (PRSE + SCFiber) on the gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) production using in vitro digestion and pig faecal fermentation. Measuring total phenolic content and antioxidant activity through the in vitro digestion stages showed that PRSE + SCFiber increased the delivery of (poly)phenols to the in vitro colonic fermentation stage compared to PRSE alone. The PRSE + SCFiber modulated the faecal microbiota profile by enhancing the relative abundances of Prevotella, Lactobacillus, and Blautia, and reducing the relative abundance of Streptococcus. PRSE + SCFiber also mitigated the inhibitory effects of PRSE on SCFA production. These results suggest that the inclusion of sugarcane fibre with PRSE could increase the availability of phenolic compounds in the colon and modulate the gut microbiota towards a more favourable profile.