Abstract
Although fermentation and hydrolyzation are well-known processes to improve the bioavailability of nutrients and enable the fortification with dietary fibers, the effect of such pre-treatments on the prebiotic features of arabinoxylan-oligosaccharides (AXOS) had not been explored. The middle-term in vitro simulation through the Simulator of the Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem (SHIME) demonstrated that the feeding with different formulations (namely oat bran, rye bran and wheat bran) containing hydrolyzed AXOS fermented by lactic acid bacteria significantly increased the synthesis of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) by colon microbiota, with hydrolyzed and fermented rye bran displaying the highest effect. After two weeks from the interruption of intake, SCFA concentrations significantly decreased but remained still significantly higher compared to the original condition. The microbiome was also affected, with a significant abundance increase in Lactobacillaceae taxon after feeding with all fermented and hydrolyzed formulates. Hydrolyzed and fermented rye bran showed the highest changes. The fungal community, even if it had a lower variety compared to bacteria, was also modulated after feeding with AXOS formulations, with an increase in Candida relative abundance and a decrease in Issatchenkia. On the contrary, the intake of non-hydrolyzed and non-fermented wheat bran did not produce relevant changes of relative abundances. After two weeks from intake interruption (wash out period) such changes were mitigated, and the gut microbiome modulated again to a final structure that was more like the original condition. This finding suggests that hydrolyzed AXOS fermented by lactic acid bacteria could have a more powerful prebiotic effect compared to non-hydrolyzed and non-fermented wheat bran, shaping the colon microbiome and its metabolic answer. However, the intake should be continuous to assure persistent effects. Opening a window into the ecological evolutions and plausible underlying mechanisms, the findings reinforce the perspective to explore more in depth the use of hydrolyzed and fermented AXOS as additional ingredient for bread fortification.