Fructans from Agave enhance probiotic yoghurt by modulating gut microbiota on children with overweight or obesity

Effect of coadministration of Lactiplantibacillus fabifermentans and linear/branched fructans mixtures on the intestinal health of Wistar rats

A completely randomized experimental design was conducted to evaluate the effect of the coadministration of Lactiplantibacillus fabifermentans (Lpb. fabifermentans) and inulin/agave fructans mixtures on gut microbiota of healthy Wistar rats. Inulin, Agave salmiana fructans or fructan mixtures (1:1) at 12.5 % w/w, and Lpb. fabifermentans at 109 CFU/mL/day were used in the rats' diet for 35 days. Biochemical parameters, short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), structural changes and the bacterial abundance in rats' cecum were evaluated. A significant decrease (p < 0.05) in glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides levels with fructan mixtures combined with Lpb. Fabifermentans was observed. The weight of the small and large intestines, and cecum was higher than the control; no changes were observed in the heart, liver, spleen and kidneys. SCFA concentration mainly, propionate and butyrate was improved (p < 0.05) throughout the gastrointestinal tract in all treatments. Finally, the administration of Lpb. fabifermentans alone or combined with the fructan mixtures promoted an increase in the abundance of cecum intestinal microbiota: Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Prevotella, Blautia, Faecalibacterium, Butyricimonas, Coprococcus, Akkermansia, Methanobrevibacter, Adlercreutzia, Collinsella, Odoribacter, and Roseburia. The inclusion of fructan mixtures in combination with Lpb. fabifermentans could be a good alternative for the development of functional foods that enhance consumer health.

Exploration of microbiome diversity of stacked fermented grains by flow cytometry and cell sorting

Sauce-flavor baijiu is one of the twelve flavor types of Chinese distilled fermented product. Microbial composition plays a key role in the stacked fermentation of Baijiu, which uses grains as raw materials and produces flavor compounds, however, the active microbial community and its relationship remain unclear. Here, we investigated the total and active microbial communities of stacked fermented grains of sauce-flavored Baijiu using flow cytometry and high-throughput sequencing technology, respectively. By using traditional high-throughput sequencing technology, a total of 24 bacterial and 14 fungal genera were identified as the core microbiota, the core bacteria were Lactobacillus (0.08-39.05%), Acetobacter (0.25-81.92%), Weissella (0.03-29.61%), etc. The core fungi were Issatchenkia (23.11-98.21%), Monascus (0.02-26.36%), Pichia (0.33-37.56%), etc. In contrast, using flow cytometry combined with high-throughput sequencing, the active dominant bacterial genera after cell sorting were found to be Herbaspirillum, Chitinophaga, Ralstonia, Phenylobacterium, Mucilaginibacter, and Bradyrhizobium, etc., whereas the active dominant fungal genera detected were Aspergillus, Pichia, Exophiala, Candelabrochaete, Italiomyces, and Papiliotrema, etc. These results indicate that although the abundance of Acetobacter, Monascus, and Issatchenkia was high after stacked fermentation, they may have little biological activity. Flow cytometry and cell sorting techniques have been used in the study of beer and wine, but exploring the microbiome in such a complex environment as Chinese baijiu has not been reported. The results also reveal that flow cytometry and cell sorting are convenient methods for rapidly monitoring complex microbial flora and can assist in exploring complex environmental samples.

Agave fructans enhance the effects of fermented milk products on obesity biomarkers: a randomised trial

Dysbiosis has been implicated in childhood obesity. Oral intake of fermented milk containing Lacticaseibacillus casei strain Shirota preserves gut microbiota (GM) diversity in children and adults. This study was a double-blind trial involving 37 overweight or obese children aged 6-10 years. Children were followed over a 6-week intervention period in which they received different fermented milk products containing L. casei Shirota: 10 in the first group received just L. casei Shirota; 13 received L. casei Shirota with 3 g/day of inulin (L. casei+inulin); and 14 received L. casei Shirota with 3 g/day of fructans from Agave salmiana (L. casei+fructans). Principal component analysis showed the relationship between microbial abundance, GM metabolites, and other obesity-related markers. Supplementation with probiotics and synbiotics improved the HDL-cholesterol levels of overweight and obese children, although no changes in body composition were detected. We observed an increase in butyrate or propionate concentrations in the L. casei+fructans group compared to the end of the intervention (P<0.03). A diminished level of ANGPTL4 within the L. casei+fructans group (P=0.04) was also found, but no differences when lipopolysaccharide-binding protein was evaluated. The FFAR2+ cell frequency decreased between baseline and at the end of 6-week intervention in L. casei+inulin (P=0.02) and L. casei+fructans groups (P=0.04). In contrast, the percentage of CD14+FFAR3+ frequency increased in the same groups (P=0.04). The L. casei Shirota with inulin or fructans modulates GM, which improves the lipid profile and changes at a molecular level, such as expression of FFAR3 and FFAR2, ANGPTL4, propionate, and butyrate. It, therefore, could be considered an interesting therapeutic possibility for treating childhood overweight and obesity. The study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (ID: NCT05423015).

Prebiotic effect of fructans from Agave salmiana on probiotic lactic acid bacteria and in children as a supplement for malnutrition

An imbalanced gut microbiota predisposes the development of nutritional disorders and chronic gastrointestinal diseases. Several studies have shown improvements on the host's health by enhancing the microbiota with prebiotics that stimulate probiotic microorganisms. This study describes the prebiotic effect of fructans from Agave salmiana consumed by children as a supplement for malnutrition. We report the extraction and degree of polymerization of fructans from A. salmiana, food safety and inflammatory analyses, and their effect in vitro on probiotic lactic acid bacteria (LAB). These fructans were included in the diet of 5-year-old normal-weight and malnourished children in double-blind, two-week interventions that compared the effects on their weight, bacterial count, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The extracted powdered fructans from A. salmiana had a composition comparable to inulin, were safe for human consumption, and stimulated the growth in vitro of three characteristic LAB. The children who consumed these fructans had a considerable weight gain, an increased number of LAB, and a decreased concentration of VOCs (indicative of less dysbiosis), demonstrating positive effects of this prebiotic on their microbiota, which were more significant in malnourished children. Fructans from A. salmiana induced in malnourished children significant weight gain and improved the functionality of their gut microbiota.