In Vitro Fermentation of High-Amylose Cornstarch by a Mixed Population of Colonic Bacteria

Background: Malabsorbed starch is probably the most important substrate for bacterial fermentation in the human large intestine. Fermentability of starch may depend on the composition of the colonic flora and its adaptation to the substrate supply. Methods: Ten healthy volunteers were fed a controll...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:JPEN. Journal of parenteral and enteral nutrition 1997-09, Vol.21 (5), p.290-295
Main Authors: Christl, Stefan U., Katzenmaier, Uta, Hylla, Silke, Kasper, Heinrich, Scheppach, Wolfgang
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy
Bacteria - metabolism
Bacteriological Techniques
Biological and medical sciences
Cohort Studies
Colon - microbiology
Diet
Emergency and intensive care: metabolism and nutrition disorders. Enteral and parenteral nutrition
Fatty Acids, Volatile - analysis
Feces - chemistry
Feces - microbiology
Female
Fermentation
Humans
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
Intensive care medicine
Male
Medical sciences
Starch - administration & dosage
Starch - chemistry
Starch - metabolism
Time Factors
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Background: Malabsorbed starch is probably the most important substrate for bacterial fermentation in the human large intestine. Fermentability of starch may depend on the composition of the colonic flora and its adaptation to the substrate supply. Methods: Ten healthy volunteers were fed a controlled diet containing either 7.0 to 8.3 or 50.7 to 59.7 g/d of resistant starch (Hylon VII) for 4 weeks. At the end of each diet period, fecal starch concentrations were measured. Fecal samples were incubated in 48-hour batch cultures containing 10 g/L Hylon VII or digestible Lintner's starch. Bacterial breakdown of starch and short-chain fatty acid concentrations were measured at 0, 3, 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours. Results: Fecal starch concentrations were higher during the Hylon VII period (35.7 ± 16 vs 8.9 ± 3.3 mg/g). Starch was fermented rapidly and completely in vitro in all but two subjects. Fermentability of resistant starch was comparable to that of digestible starch. No differences were found between the dietary periods. Fermentation of resistant starch produced higher rates of n-butyrate. Two subjects had substantially higher fecal starch concentrations. In vitro starch breakdown in these subjects was slow and incomplete. Conclusions: Fermentation of resistant starch by the colonic microflora was rapid and complete in 8 of 10 subjects. No adaptation of the fermentation capacity was observed after 4 weeks of dietary resistant starch supplementation. Fermentation of resistant starch increased the proportion of n-butyrate in vitro. In two subjects, fecal starch concentrations were substantially higher than in the other subjects and in vitro starch fermentation was slow and incomplete. (journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition 21:290-295, 1997)
ISSN:0148-6071
1941-2444
DOI:10.1177/0148607197021005290