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In vitro evaluation of the prebiotic activity of a pectic oligosaccharide-rich extract enzymatically derived from bergamot peel

  • Applied Microbial and Cell Physiology
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Abstract

The prebiotic effect of a pectic oligosaccharide-rich extract enzymatically derived from bergamot peel was studied using pure and mixed cultures of human faecal bacteria. This was compared to the prebiotic effect of fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS). Individual species of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli responded positively to the addition of the bergamot extract, which contained oligosaccharides in the range of three to seven. Fermentation studies were also carried out in controlled pH batch mixed human faecal cultures and changes in gut bacterial groups were monitored over 24 h by fluorescent in situ hybridisation, a culture-independent microbial assessment. Addition of the bergamot oligosaccharides (BOS) resulted in a high increase in the number of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, whereas the clostridial population decreased. A prebiotic index (PI) was calculated for both FOS and BOS after 10 and 24 h incubation. Generally, higher PI scores were obtained after 10 h incubation, with BOS showing a greater value (6.90) than FOS (6.12).

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Grant Colder (John Innes Centre, Norwich, UK) for his help in microscopy. We gratefully acknowledge the help provided by Yvan Lemarc (Institute of Food Research) with the statistic analyses. This research was funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Research Sciences Council (UK), by the University of Messina (Italy) and by Ministero dell’Universita’ e della Ricerca, Italy (project no. 12930).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sustainability of the Food Chain Exploitation Platform, Institute of Food Research, Norwich Research Park, Colney, Norwich, NR4 7UA, UK

    G. Mandalari, K. W. Waldron & C. B. Faulds

  2. Department of Pharmacobiology, University of Messina, Viale Annunziata, 98100, Messina, Italy

    G. Mandalari & G. Bisignano

  3. Commensal and Microflora Programme, Institute of Food Research, Norwich Research Park, Colney, Norwich, NR4 7UA, UK

    C. Nueno Palop & A. Narbad

  4. Food Microbial Science Unit, School of Food Biosciences, The University of Reading, Reading, RG66AP, UK

    K. Tuohy & G. R. Gibson

  5. CECEA-Departamento de Fitotecnia e Engenharia Rural, Universidade de Trás-os Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), Apartado 1013, 5000-911, Vila Real, Portugal

    R. N. Bennett

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  1. G. Mandalari
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  2. C. Nueno Palop
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  3. K. Tuohy
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  4. G. R. Gibson
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  5. R. N. Bennett
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  6. K. W. Waldron
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  7. G. Bisignano
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  8. A. Narbad
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  9. C. B. Faulds
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Correspondence to A. Narbad.

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Mandalari, G., Nueno Palop, C., Tuohy, K. et al. In vitro evaluation of the prebiotic activity of a pectic oligosaccharide-rich extract enzymatically derived from bergamot peel. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 73, 1173–1179 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-006-0561-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-006-0561-9

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