Vegetable-derived dietary fiber concentrates, especially those derived from artichoke and carrot, have notable prebiotic potential, boosting gut microbiota by increasing Bacteroidetes. These microorganisms ferment fiber and elevate the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which are vital for colon health. This indicates that waste from the juice industry could be reused as functional ingredients, supporting the revaluation of agricultural by-products. This conclusion is based on a study by researchers from the University of Lleida (UdL), Agrotecnio, and IRBLleida, published in the journal Food Hydrocolloids for Health.
The study assessed dietary fibre concentrates derived from bagasse (pulp and skin) left after extracting vegetable juices from artichoke, carrot, cucumber, and red pepper, supplied by Indulleida S.A. The researchers examined how these concentrates affect the specific composition of the intestinal microbiota and SCFA production over 48 hours, using an in vitro digestion model that mimics the human gastrointestinal process.
The results show that artichoke and carrot fibers particularly promote beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. Artichoke fiber also produces the highest amount of butyrate or butyric acid, a compound essential as an energy source for colon cells and for maintaining the integrity of the epithelial barrier, along with anti-inflammatory effects.
Cucumber, red pepper, and carrot fermentations reach the highest levels of acetic acid, which plays a role in many physiological functions, such as regulating satiety and body weight, providing antimicrobial effects, and inducing apoptosis (programmed cell death) in cancer cells. Propionic acid, also associated with the release of hormones that increase satiety and may decrease food intake, was found to rise during the first 24 hours with red pepper fiber and at 48 hours with cucumber fiber.
"Dietary fibre concentrates from vegetables help maintain colon pH and promote short-chain fatty acids, supporting intestinal health. Artichoke fatty acids, in particular, may be a promising candidate for future research as a functional dietary ingredient," stated Gemma Bellí, UdL Faculty of Medicine lecturer and article's first author.
This study is part of the project "Design of functional foods containing active ingredients with potential anti-obesity properties," led by Bellí and Olga Martín-Belloso, a researcher from UdL's School of Agri-Food, Forestry and Veterinary Engineering (ETSEAFiV). ETSEAFiV team members Ana A. Vaz, Isabel Odriozola-Serrano, and Gemma Oms-Oliu also participated. The team plans to conduct future in vivo studies to verify the effects of plant fibers in physiological settings.
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