This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Rossi, M.
Right arrow Articles by Matteuzzi, D.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Rossi, M.
Right arrow Articles by Matteuzzi, D.
Agricola
Right arrow Articles by Rossi, M.
Right arrow Articles by Matteuzzi, D.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, October 2005, p. 6150-6158, Vol. 71, No. 10
0099-2240/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.71.10.6150-6158.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Fermentation of Fructooligosaccharides and Inulin by Bifidobacteria: a Comparative Study of Pure and Fecal Cultures

Maddalena Rossi,1* Claudio Corradini,2 Alberto Amaretti,3 Marcello Nicolini,2 Anna Pompei,3 Simona Zanoni,3 and Diego Matteuzzi3

Department of Chemistry, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy,1 Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, and Physical Chemistry, University of Parma, Parma, Italy,2 Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy3

Received 14 February 2005/ Accepted 20 May 2005

The utilization of fructooligosaccharides (FOS) and inulin by 55 Bifidobacterium strains was investigated. Whereas FOS were fermented by most strains, only eight grew when inulin was used as the carbon source. Residual carbohydrates were analyzed by high-performance anion-exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection after batch fermentation. A strain-dependent capability to degrade fructans of different lengths was observed. During batch fermentation on inulin, the short fructans disappeared first, and then the longer ones were gradually consumed. However, growth occurred through a single uninterrupted exponential phase without exhibiting polyauxic behavior in relation to the chain length. Cellular ß-fructofuranosidases were found in all of the 21 Bifidobacterium strains tested. Four strains were tested for extracellular hydrolytic activity against fructans, and only the two strains which ferment inulin showed this activity. Batch cultures inoculated with human fecal slurries confirmed the bifidogenic effect of both FOS and inulin and indicated that other intestinal microbial groups also grow on these carbon sources. We observed that bifidobacteria grew by cross-feeding on mono- and oligosaccharides produced by primary inulin intestinal degraders, as evidenced by the high hydrolytic activity of fecal supernatants. FOS and inulin greatly affected the production of short-chain fatty acids in fecal cultures; butyrate was the major fermentation product on inulin, whereas mostly acetate and lactate were produced on FOS.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Chemistry, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 183, 41100 Modena, Italy. Phone: 39-059-2055567. Fax: 39-051-2099734. E-mail: rossi.maddalena{at}unimore.it.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, October 2005, p. 6150-6158, Vol. 71, No. 10
0099-2240/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.71.10.6150-6158.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Falony, G., Verschaeren, A., De Bruycker, F., De Preter, V., Verbeke, K., Leroy, F., De Vuyst, L. (2009). In Vitro Kinetics of Prebiotic Inulin-Type Fructan Fermentation by Butyrate-Producing Colon Bacteria: Implementation of Online Gas Chromatography for Quantitative Analysis of Carbon Dioxide and Hydrogen Gas Production. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 75: 5884-5892 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Falony, G., Calmeyn, T., Leroy, F., De Vuyst, L. (2009). Coculture Fermentations of Bifidobacterium Species and Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron Reveal a Mechanistic Insight into the Prebiotic Effect of Inulin-Type Fructans. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 75: 2312-2319 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Falony, G., Lazidou, K., Verschaeren, A., Weckx, S., Maes, D., De Vuyst, L. (2009). In Vitro Kinetic Analysis of Fermentation of Prebiotic Inulin-Type Fructans by Bifidobacterium Species Reveals Four Different Phenotypes. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 75: 454-461 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Boehm, G., Moro, G. (2008). Structural and Functional Aspects of Prebiotics Used in Infant Nutrition. J. Nutr. 138: 1818S-1828S [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Jones, S. A., Jorgensen, M., Chowdhury, F. Z., Rodgers, R., Hartline, J., Leatham, M. P., Struve, C., Krogfelt, K. A., Cohen, P. S., Conway, T. (2008). Glycogen and Maltose Utilization by Escherichia coli O157:H7 in the Mouse Intestine. Infect. Immun. 76: 2531-2540 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Fabich, A. J., Jones, S. A., Chowdhury, F. Z., Cernosek, A., Anderson, A., Smalley, D., McHargue, J. W., Hightower, G. A., Smith, J. T., Autieri, S. M., Leatham, M. P., Lins, J. J., Allen, R. L., Laux, D. C., Cohen, P. S., Conway, T. (2008). Comparison of Carbon Nutrition for Pathogenic and Commensal Escherichia coli Strains in the Mouse Intestine. Infect. Immun. 76: 1143-1152 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Scholz-Ahrens, K. E., Schrezenmeir, J. (2007). Inulin and Oligofructose and Mineral Metabolism: The Evidence from Animal Trials. J. Nutr. 137: 2513S-2523S [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Amaretti, A., Bernardi, T., Tamburini, E., Zanoni, S., Lomma, M., Matteuzzi, D., Rossi, M. (2007). Kinetics and Metabolism of Bifidobacterium adolescentis MB 239 Growing on Glucose, Galactose, Lactose, and Galactooligosaccharides. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 73: 3637-3644 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Pompei, A., Cordisco, L., Amaretti, A., Zanoni, S., Matteuzzi, D., Rossi, M. (2007). Folate Production by Bifidobacteria as a Potential Probiotic Property. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 73: 179-185 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Falony, G., Vlachou, A., Verbrugghe, K., Vuyst, L. D. (2006). Cross-Feeding between Bifidobacterium longum BB536 and Acetate-Converting, Butyrate-Producing Colon Bacteria during Growth on Oligofructose. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 72: 7835-7841 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»