Novel Fibre Initiative
This project investigated the effects of various dietary fibers on the human microbiome. Four companies provided fibers derived from coffee, banana, jackfruit, and soil, which were fermented in vitro with donor materials from healthy individuals. Several compounds were upcycled, improving sustainability. The goal was to identify ingredients that could drive microbiome composition and function towards a healthier state by measuring short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) produced by the gut microbiota.
All ingredients increased specific SCFAs, indicating potential health benefits. The study also examined microbiome composition, revealing that different fibers influenced bacterial diversity and abundance in unique ways. Individual variation in microbiome response was accounted for using TNO’s i-screen biobank. The findings suggest that while all fibers induced beneficial changes, further optimization is needed to enhance SCFA production and understand the synergistic effects of fiber combinations.
The plant-based fibers tested here showed similar effects to the positive control pectin, leading to increased levels of acetic acid. Soil-derived compounds had the lowest effect, mainly increasing succinic acid, indicating less bacterial metabolism. The positive control inulin decreased alpha diversity, suggesting overgrowth of particular bacterial strains. Conversely, other compounds significantly increased diversity, indicating they stimulate various bacteria. Increased bacterial diversity is often associated with a healthier microbiota, indicating potential health benefits of those compounds. Each fiber stimulated specific beneficial bacteria, such as Lachnospira pectinoschiza and Eubacterium eligens, which are known to degrade pectins. Most ingredients also increased the abundance of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, a well-known beneficial species. Some compounds were rich in digestible carbohydrates, suggesting pre-digestion is necessary for follow-up experiments. This project demonstrated the beneficial effects of upcycled dietary fibers and provided important insights into how dietary fibers can promote a healthy microbiota.
