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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Microbiol.
Sec. Microorganisms in Vertebrate Digestive Systems
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1496022
This article is part of the Research Topic Lactic Acid Bacteria and their Bioactive Compounds: Key Regulators of Gut Microbiota and Immune Function. View all 6 articles

Impact of low FODMAP sourdough bread on gut microbiota using an in vitro colonic fermentation model

Provisionally accepted
Fatma Koc Fatma Koc 1,2,3Elke K. Arendt Elke K. Arendt 1,4Aidan Coffey Aidan Coffey 1,5Paul Ross Paul Ross 1,3Catherine Stanton Catherine Stanton 1,2*
  • 1 APC Microbiome Institute, College of Medicine and Health, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
  • 2 Moorepark Food Research Centre, Teagasc Food Research Centre (Ireland), Fermoy, Ireland
  • 3 School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
  • 4 School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, College of Science, Engineering and Food Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
  • 5 Department Biological Sciences, Munster Technological University, Cork, Ireland

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    This study explores the development of whole-grain sourdough bread with reduced FODMAP (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols) content to offer dietary solutions for individuals with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Three sourdough breads were prepared using different lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains including Lactiplantibacillus plantarum FST1.7 (SD-FST1.7), Lacticaseibacillus paracasei R3 (SD-R3), and Pediococcus pentosaceus RYE106 (SD-RYE106). A control sourdough bread was prepared using baker's yeast (SD-control). In vitro digestion and in vitro colonic fermentation were employed on bread samples with cellulose (negative control) and inulin (positive control), followed by 16S rRNA sequencing and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) analysis to evaluate the impact on gut microbiota and SCFA levels. Alpha and beta diversity did not reveal any significant differences within the groups following in vitro colonic fermentation (FDR>0.05). Taxonomic analysis displayed Firmicutes as the predominant phylum across all faecal samples at the end of colonic fermentation. Actinobacteriota was significantly lower in cellulose fermented faecal samples compared to samples fermented with SD-Control (ANCOMBC, FDR=0.02) and inulin (ANCOMBC, FDR=0.0001). Faecal samples fermented with inulin had significantly higher Bacteroidota levels compared to those fermented with cellulose (ANCOMBC, FDR =0.002).Acetate levels were higher in faecal samples fermented with SD-FST1.7 compared to those fermented with SD-R3 and SD-RYE106 (p=0.03 for both). Positive correlations between butyrate and Lachnospira, Agathobacter, and Bifidobacterium were observed, demonstrating the potential of sourdough fermentation to influence gut health and support IBS management.

    Keywords: Sourdough bread, Low FODMAP, Gut Microbiota, Fermentation, Short chain fatty acid, 16S rRNA sequencing

    Received: 13 Sep 2024; Accepted: 16 Oct 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Koc, Arendt, Coffey, Ross and Stanton. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Catherine Stanton, Moorepark Food Research Centre, Teagasc Food Research Centre (Ireland), Fermoy, Ireland

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.