Abstract
Flaxseed polysaccharide (FSP) exhibited good antioxidant activities when scavenging radicals in vitro.
Previous work demonstrated that FSP alleviated metabolic syndrome by modulating the gut microbiota and increasing the content of SCFAs in high-fat-diet mice.
Therefore, in this study, in vitro digestion and fermentation models were conducted to investigate the digestion and fermentation traits of FSP. The interaction with gut microbiota and production of SCFAs owing to FSP fermentation were evaluated. FSP cannot be degraded by simulated saliva or gastric or small intestine conditions, so it reaches the large intestine intact. FSP was gradually hydrolyzed and used by human fecal microbiota during fermentation. FSP fermentation exhibited a modulatory effect on the gut microbial community structure by reducing the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes. FSP stimulated the growth of beneficial and SCFA-producing bacteria such as Prevotella and Phascolarctobacterium. Moreover, the content of SCFAs, especially acetic and propionic acids, was significantly increased during FSP fermentation. The results suggest that FSP might contribute to gut health and could be a candidate for use as a prebiotic in functional foods.
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