Galacto-oligosaccharides Derived from Lactulose Exert a Selective Stimulation on the Growth of Bifidobacterium animalis in the Large Intestine of Growing Rats

• Published in: Journal of agricultural and food chemistry Vol. 61; no. 31; pp. 7560 - 7567
• Main Authors: Marín-Manzano, M. Carmen, Abecia, Leticia, Hernández-Hernández, Oswaldo, Sanz, M. Luz, Montilla, Antonia, Olano, Agustín, Rubio, Luis A, Moreno, F. Javier, Clemente, Alfonso
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 07.08.2013
• Subjects: Animals; Bifidobacterium - growth & development; Bifidobacterium - metabolism; Bifidobacterium animalis; Biological and medical sciences; cecum; Clostridium coccoides; colon; diet; Eubacterium rectale; Fermentation; Food industries; functional foods; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; galactooligosaccharides; Humans; intestinal microorganisms; Intestine, Large - growth & development; Intestine, Large - metabolism; Intestine, Large - microbiology; lactose; Lactose - metabolism; lactulose; Lactulose - metabolism; Male; Microbiota; Oligosaccharides - metabolism; Prebiotics - analysis; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Bifidobacterium animalis; bifidobacteria; lactulose; prebiotic; gut microbiota; galacto-oligosaccharides; Rat; Digestive system; Growth; Lactulose; Eubacteria; Oligosaccharide; Rodentia; Gut; Bifidobacteriaceae; Microflora; Stimulation; Prebiotics; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Intestine; Actinobacteridae; Actinobacteria; Bacteria; Bifidobacteriales
• ISSN: 0021-8561; 1520-5118
• DOI: 10.1021/jf402218z

There is increasing interest in identifying novel dietary nondigestible carbohydrates capable of modulating the composition and/or metabolic activities of the gut microbiota. This work assessed the differential modulatory influence of novel galacto-oligosaccharides derived from lactulose (GOS-Lu) in comparison with commercial galacto-oligosaccharides derived from lactose (GOS-La) in gut microbiota of growing rats (5 weeks old). Rats were fed either a control diet or diets containing 1% (w/w) of GOS-Lu or GOS-La, and cecal and colonic contents were collected after 14 days of treatment. Compared to controls, GOS-Lu had significantly more bifidobacteria within the large intestine, showing a significant and selective increase of Bifidobacterium animalis in the cecum and colon; however, no significant differences in the number of bifidobacteria among GOS-Lu and GOS-La groups were observed. Both types of GOS significantly increased the number of the Eubacterium rectale/Clostridium coccoides group. These findings support a prebiotic role of galactosyl-fructoses in functional foods.