Manipulating the kinetics and site of colonic fermentation with different fibre combinations – a review

Abstract

Summary The effects of dietary fibre on gut microbiota and the colonic markers of health have been well investigated, along with the kinetics of fibre fermentation. Most of the evidence available is based on faecal analysis or static in vitro models of colonic fermentation of constant amounts of fibres incubated individually with faecal inoculum. These results offer a limited understanding of the effects of different fibres on different bacterial species, and changes that occur along the GI tract, when dietary patterns involving different mixed sources of fibre consumed in a single day are considered. The normal gut transit time is 40–60 h. With three meals in a day, fibres and undigested nutrients tend to accumulate in the colon as they traverse from the proximal to the distal colon. There is an evolving need for a paradigm shift in nutritional research to investigate the metabolomic and physiological effects of fibres in combination, as they are consumed in a normal dietary pattern of daily three meals. We propose a research framework to harness the health‐beneficial effects of fermentation metabolites of fibre by manipulating the site of colonic fermentation resulting from the interplay between fibre fermentation and transit rates in the colon. Based on this framework, a hypothesis is developed to reduce the side effect of excessive gas production from the colonic fermentation of indigestible oligosaccharides in legumes such as chickpeas and soybean.

The role of valorised plant proteins and phenolic compounds on the digestibility of foods: a short review of recent trends and future opportunities in addressing sustainability issues

“…Exemplifying this is the intense research on the role of dietary fiber in promoting the health of consumers in the opportunities to manipulate carbohydrate digestion (Tu et al, 2022;He et al, 2023;Tu et al, 2023), as well as the focus on the role of these compounds in altering the fermentation behaviour of gut microbiota (Ratanpaul et al, 2023). Tu et al (2023) illustrated that polysaccharides from shitake mushrooms could act on a noncompetitor manner in restricting alpha-glucosidase functionality and hence inhibited glucose transport of digested starch from Caco-2 cells monolayer.…”

Regenerative Food Innovation: The Role of Agro-Food Chain By-Products and Plant Origin Food to Obtain High-Value-Added Foods

“…One of the common compounds recovered from waste streams in plant-based systems is dietary fibres (and their co-passengers), which are, in turn, beneficial for colonic functionality and gut health [50]. Indeed, the recovery of dietary fibre compounds from by-products has been a constant feature of research interest during the last 5 years [31,[51][52][53][54][55][56].…”

“…Extending this research into a physiological aspect, these SCFAs influence glucose and lipid metabolism, aiding in blood sugar regulation and reducing cholesterol levels, with further research indicating a potential influence on gene regulation from a cellular basis. Thus, the focus on the recovery of bioactive ingredients that enhance the nutritional quality of foods through enhancing microbial populations and functional gut responses holds the potential for the future [50,53,54].…”

Bibliometric analysis of the impact of ultra‐processed foods on the gut microbiota

“…On the other hand, the health‐beneficial effects of fermentation metabolites of fibre to enhance overall well‐being and digestive health has been shown (An et al ., 2022; Ratanpaul et al ., 2023). The current emphasis on ultra‐processed foods and reduced fibre and vegetable intake in diets is linked to a rise in chronic metabolic diseases.…”