Symposium Presentation Australian Society for Microbiology Annual Scientific Meeting 2024

Feeding the Hungry Microbiome: The role of dietary fibres  (106121)

RAJARAMAN D ERI 1 2
  1. Biosciences and Food Technology, RMIT University, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
  2. RMIT University, Melbourne, Noble Park North, ACT, Australia

The human microbiome is a community of microorganisms, including bacteria, bacteriophages, archaea, fungi, protists, and viruses that live in the human body. Over the last decade, it is understood that alterations in the microbiome (Dysbiosis) have been associated with several human health conditions including inflammation, psychological disorders and cancers. Researchers are increasingly working to translate the emerging fundamental science into microbiome medicines that will address important unmet needs in the clinic. Dietary fibres are considered as the major source of energy and in turn microbiota produce beneficial molecules aiding in the maintenance of human health. Lack of provision of appropriate dietary fibres results in the microbiome going hungry. Dietary fibres are classified as resistant starches based on their solubility. However, the complexity of dietary fibres is not captured in the current system of classification. The complexity of the interaction of different types of dietary fibres will be discussed along with their link to physiological mechanisms of how they maintain human health. Dietary fibres are complex carbohydrates that are found in plant-based foods and are not digested by enzymes in the human gut.  The fermentation of dietary fibres by the gut microbiome produces short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), such as acetate, propionate, and butyrate, which are important for maintaining the health of the colon in addition to regulating the immune system, helping to prevent inflammation and chronic diseases such as colorectal cancer, type 2 diabetes, and obesity, Controlling appetite and metabolism, Improving gut barrier function, Supporting the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut. It is important to note that not all fibres have the same effects. For example, soluble fibres are more likely to be fermented by the gut microbiome, while insoluble fibres tend to pass through the gut unchanged. Additionally, different fibres may have different effects on the gut microbiome and its metabolites. In this talk, I shall endeavour to address diverse types of dietary fibres in terms of their solubility, chemical structures, physiological, enzymological differences, and microbiome changes and relate to how each of these characteristics affects human health. 

 

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