Analysis of the bacterial flora is important for the characterization of fermentation events. They help the further validation of the “prebiotic index“ as fast and cost-effective screening of prebotic action within individuals or selected populations.
The “as eaten” method to measure the Total Dietary Fibre content and an in vitro fermentation with colon bacteria were successfully coupled to see if fibre fractions have a prebiotic effect. Similar growth pattern for modified starch, FOS and GOS were observed (Fig A). The qPCR results indicate a significant stimulation of the growth of gut bacteria by FOS and GOS and in lesser extent by the modified starch (Fig.C). Future experiments will compare the qPCR data with metagenomic analysis of in vitro and in vivo experiments.
Inulin is a soluble dietary fibre, also classified as a prebiotic, extracted from chicory roots. The present study aimed to determine the effect of consumption of native chicory inulin on the stool frequency of middle-aged to older adults (40–75 years old) with uncomfortably but not clinically relevant low stool frequency, specified as two to four days without bowel movements per week. Two randomised, double blind, placebo-controlled crossover trials were conducted using similar protocols in differing populations. Trial A was conducted in Amsterdam, The Netherlands and subsequently Trial B was conducted in Newcastle, United Kingdom. Both trials involved supplementation for 5 weeks with 10 g per day of inulin or placebo, a washout period of 2 weeks, and then crossed over to receive the other treatment. In Trial B, faecal gut microbiota composition was assessed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. In Trial A, which 10 volunteers completed, the stool frequency was significantly increased to an average 4.9 ± 0.23 (SEM) times per week during inulin periods versus 3.6 ± 0.25 in the periods with placebo (p = 0.01). In contrast, in Trial B which 20 volunteers completed, there was no significant effect of the inulin on stool frequency (7.5 ± 2.1 times per week with inulin, 8.1 ± 3.0 with placebo, p = 0.35). However, many subjects in Trial B had a stool frequency >5 per week also for the placebo period, in breach of the inclusion criteria. Combining the data of 16 low stool frequency subjects from Trials A and B showed a significant effect of inulin to increase stool frequency from 4.1 to 5.0 per week (p = 0.032). Regarding secondary outcomes, stool consistency was significantly softer with inulin treatment compared to placebo periods, it increased 0.29 on the Bristol stool scale (p = 0.008) when data from all subjects of Trials A and B were combined. No other differences in bowel habit parameters due to inulin consumption were significant. None of the differences in specific bacterial abundance, alpha or beta diversity were significant, however the trends were in directions consistent with published studies on other types of inulin. We conclude that 10 g per day of native chicory inulin can increase stool frequency in subjects with low stool frequency.
MULTIFILE
This project has received funding from the Bio-based Industries Joint Undertaking under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 720726LIBBIO is a European research project on Andes Lupin (Lupinus mutabilis, tarwi) cropping in marginal lands for enhanced bio economy. Lupin has the ability to fix nitrogen, mobilise soil phosphate and has low nutritional requirements for cultivation. Varieties will be chosen that give high yield of green silage or high yield of seeds which contain more than 20% oil, more than 40% protein and the remaining materials are carbohydrates, mainly oligosaccharides characterized as “prebiotics”. Andes lupin will be grown as a summer crop in N-central Europe and as winter crop in Mediterranean conditions. Pre-industrial processing is developed and optimized for the lupin, properties of the different fractions analysed, their advantage for different industrial use evaluated, and a few products developed as an example. Social and environmental impact will be evaluated as well as techno-economic viability and effect on farm and biorefinery income.This project has received funding from the Bio-based Industries Joint Undertaking under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 720726
Nieuwe UV-blokkers voor zonnebrandcrèmes zijn nodig. Traditioneel gebruikte UV-blokkers tasten het aquatisch ecosysteem aan (koraalbleking). Rood zeewier, zoals Porphyra (nori) is zeer effectief in zijn bescherming tegen zonnestraling. UV-blokkers in roodwieren zijn Mycosporine-achtige aminozuren (MAA’s) maar ook andere componenten zijn relevant in de bescherming. Het gebruik van roodwier als grondstof in cosmetica is toegestaan maar vanwege prijs en regelgeving niet gangbaar. Samen met het werkveld gaat Hanzehogeschool de kansen voor Europees Porphyra als marien-cultuur gewas onderzoeken. Een drietraps benadering wordt uitgevoerd. 1) De teelt van het in de Nederlandse Delta groeiende Porphyra wordt onderzocht. In West-Europa wordt Porphyra niet op grote schaal geoogst en geteeld. Vegetatieve vermeerdering zal worden opgezet met als richtlijn een zo’n optimaal mogelijk MAA’s gehalte. Dit kan bereikt worden door te variëren in abiotische factoren, inductie van Porphyra. 2) Het doel is om een ingrediënt voor cosmetica te ontwikkelen dat beschermd tegen zonnebrand. Zeewier fracties worden ontwikkeld bestaande uit zowel MAA's als polyfenolen die elkaar aanvullen in UVA en UVB bescherming. 3) Dit zonnefilter moet ook technisch en economisch haalbaar zijn. Dit laatste kan alleen als wordt uitgegaan van een circulair zero-waste totaal bioraffinage waarin ook alle andere componenten worden gevaloriseerd. Hierbij wordt gekeken naar eiwitfracties geschikt voor food en feed applicaties en naar hoogwaardige koolhydraten zoals wateroplosbare voedingsvezels (prebiotica). De aangesloten consortiumpartners zijn expert in het realiseren van de beoogde verwaardingskansen. De aangesloten MKB-ers hebben ambitie in het formuleren van producten (feed, food, non-food en cosmetica) met duurzame ingrediënten uit rood zeewier en het ontwikkelen van de bijbehorende business cases.
