Starch-entrapped microspheres selectively promote propionate or butyrate production through individual-specific modulation of the human fecal microbiome

Document Type

Article

Department

Pathology (East Africa)

Abstract

Starch microspheres encapsulated with chitosan synergistically and beneficially modulate the microbiota composition and metabolic activity of a pooled fecal slurry compared to starch, suggesting a superior prebiotic potential. Interindividual differences in prebiotic potential are, however, unexplored. Therefore, we incubated starch-entrapped microspheres (MS), high amylose maize starch (HAMS) and the reference prebiotic inulin with the separate fecal microbiota derived from six healthy individuals. The variation in microbial community composition was largely driven by inter-individual variability (effect size of 71.7 %). Despite the inter-individual variability, the different prebiotic substrates significantly affected the microbiota composition (effect size of 9.5 %) and metabolic activity over the course of fermentation. MS delayed the fermentation and reduced the gas production and acidification in all donors compared to HAMS and inulin. Furthermore, compared to HAMS, MS more effectively promoted propionate or butyrate production in a donor-dependent manner. MS increased butyrate levels with 0.1 ± 0.72 mM per unit of starch across all donors. Additional, MS increased the propionate production with 0.52 ± 0.71 mM per unit of starch in donors 1, 2, 4, 6. The donor-specific propiogenic and butyrogenic effects of MS were linked to the enrichment of Bacteroides and Agathobacter species. Our findings confirm the superior prebiotic effect of MS and provide directions for the design and manufacture of starch-based functional foods to enhance gut health.

Publication (Name of Journal)

Carbohydrate Polymers

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2025.124614

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