Dr Paul Blatchford, Scientist at Plant & Food Research, New Zealand, presentation at the 1st International Symposium on Kiwifruit and Health: http://www.kiwifruitsymposium.org/presentations/kiwifruit-driven-microbiota-metabolites-and-implications-for-human-health/
The research presented attempts to understand how kiwifruit impacts upon microbial composition and metabolism in the human large bowel using in vitro fermentation systems.
4. Health benefits
Glycaemic impact Vitamin C
Prebiotic effects?Laxation
Immune benefits
Prebiotic definition
‘a selectively fermented ingredient that results in specific changes in the composition and/or activity of the
gastrointestinal microbiota, thus conferring benefit(s) upon host health’ (Gibson et al., 2010)
5. KIWIFRUIT
• Kiwifruit contain 2-3% non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) such as pectic polysaccharides,
hemicellulose and cellulose
• The NSP escape digestion by human enzymes and reach the colon relatively unmodified.
Here they become substrates for bacterial fermentation
The following work used green-fleshed Actinidia chinensis var. deliciosa
`Hayward’ (Zespri® Green Kiwifruit) and gold-fleshed Actinidia chinensis
var. chinensis `Zesy002’ (Zespri® SunGold Kiwifruit)
6. GUT MICROBIOTA
• The human gut microbiota has strong associations with many aspects of human health
• The colon is an active site of fermentation:
- short chain fatty acids (SCFA)
- branched chain fatty acids (BCFA)
- gases (hydrogen, carbon dioxide and methane)
• Acetate, propionate, butyrate as well as lactate, formate, succinate etc..
8. • Mimics the large bowel microbial community
• Several variables can be controlled:
- pH
- temperature
- O2
• 10% w/v faecal slurry
• Typically run in triplicate with different faecal donors
• Run for 24 – 48 hours
IN VITRO PH-CONTROLLED BATCH CULTURE GUT MODEL
9. IN VITRO FERMENTATION STUDY 1
• Batch culture gut models (in vitro) conducted with green and gold kiwifruit
- 16S rRNA gene sequencing, Gas Chromatography, NMR Spectroscopy
Kiwifruit fermentation drives positive gut microbial and metabolic changes irrespective of initial microbiota composition.
P Blatchford, H Stoklosinski, G Walton, J Swann, G Gibson, R Gearry, J Ansell, Bioactive Carbohydrates and Dietary Fibre, 2015.
12. ORGANIC ACIDS BY GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY
µmol/mL
µmol/mL
µmol/mL
0 5 10 24 48
Time (h)
0 5 10 24 48
Time (h)
0 5 10 24 48
Time (h)
13. IN VITRO FERMENTATION STUDY 2
Batch culture gut models (in vitro) with gold kiwifruit
- 16S rRNA gene sequencing, Gas Chromatography, LC-MS
In vitro characterisation of the fermentation profile and prebiotic capacity of gold-fleshed kiwifruit
P Blatchford, K Bentley-Hewitt, H Stoklosinski, T McGhie, R Gearry, G Gibson, J Ansell, Beneficial Microbes, 2015.
18. • Despite notable donor inoculum differences, kiwifruit was able to drive the microbial profile towards more
commensal genera
• Kiwifruit supplementation in vitro promoted the commensal Bacteroides spp., Parabacteroides spp. and
Bifidobacterium spp.
• The kiwifruit-driven increase of commensal bacteria in the in vitro models resulted in a propionate-
enriched environment
• Organic acids and polyphenols can survive SGD and may act as substrates for bacterial fermentation
CONCLUSIONS
19. • What fractions of kiwifruit are responsible for causing the microbial and metabolic effects presented in
this work?
• What is the effect of other kiwifruit-derived metabolites that escape simulated gastrointestinal
digestion and reach the colon?
We know polysaccharides are principal drivers of microbiota composition
• Organic acids - Quinic acid, malic acid, citric acid
• Polyphenols – E-caffeoyl-3-glucoside, E-caffeoyl-4-glucoside etc...
• Fatty acids – Linoleic acid, linolenic acid, oleic acid
UNANSWERED QUESTIONS…
22. Thanks!
• To Riddet and Zespri for the opportunity to present at this forum
• To everyone in the Food, Nutrition and Health group at PFR, Palmerston North
• Supervisors – Juliet Ansell, Richard Gearry, Glenn Gibson
QUESTIONS?
THANK YOU
Paul Blatchford
Paul.Blatchford@plantandfood.co.nz
064 6 3556164