Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Resistant Starch Is Actively Fermented By Infant Faecal Microbiota And Increases Microbial Diversity, Geetha Gopalsamy, Elissa Mortimer, Paul Greenfield, Anthony R. Bird, Graeme P. Young, Claus T. Christophersen

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

In adults, fermentation of high amylose maize starch (HAMS), a resistant starch (RS), has a prebiotic effect. Were such a capacity to exist in infants, intake of RS might programme the gut microbiota during a critical developmental period. This study aimed to determine if infant faecal inocula possess the capacity to ferment HAMS or acetylated-HAMS (HAMSA) and characterise associated changes to microbial composition. Faecal samples were collected from 17 healthy infants at two timepoints: Preweaning and within 10 weeks of first solids. Fermentation was assessed using in vitro batch fermentation. Following 24 h incubation, pH, short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production …

Consistent Prebiotic Effect On Gut Microbiota With Altered Fodmap Intake In Patients With Crohn's Disease: A Randomised, Controlled Cross-Over Trial Of Well-Defined Diets, Emma P. Halmos, Claus T. Christophersen, Anthony R. Bird, Susan J. Shepherd, Jane G. Muir, Peter R. Gibson

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

OBJECTIVES:

Altering FODMAP (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols) intake has substantial effects on gut microbiota. This study aimed to investigate effects of altering FODMAP intake on markers of colonic health in patients with Crohn’s disease.

METHODS:

After evaluation of their habitual diet, 9 patients with clinically quiescent Crohn’s disease were randomised to 21 days of provided low or typical (“Australian”) FODMAP diets with ≥ 21-day washout in between. Five-day fecal samples were collected at the end of each diet and analyzed for calprotectin, pH, short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and bacterial abundance. Gastrointestinal symptoms were recorded daily.

RESULTS:

Eight participants …