Persimmon by-products, rich in fibre, promote beneficial gut bacteria

Abstract

Persimmon by-products are a promising source of bioactive ingredients that could be used for functional food formulation and health promotion. The aim of this study was to investigate the microbiota modulatory properties of persimmon soluble and insoluble fibre fractions. For this purpose, an in vitro faecal fermentation experiment was carried out and microbiota profiles were analysed by amplicon sequencing. According to the results obtained, different persimmon fractions selectively promoted the growth of potentially probiotic genera including Bacteroides, Megasphaera, Oscillibacter and Lachnospiraceae members. Members of these taxa are important short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) producers showing statistical associations with other members of the gut microbiota. The influence of raw material composition on the fermentative profiles was also determined. Soluble non-starch polysaccharide (NSP) fractions rich in arabinose and fucose promote Oscillibacter while insoluble NSP fractions led to an increase in Megasphaera. The effect of phenolic molecules on the fermentative properties of persimmon substrates was also investigated. Faecal fermentation of soluble persimmon fractions led to higher production of indole-3-propionic acid compared to insoluble fractions. These findings underscore the potential health benefits of soluble fibre-rich persimmon by-products. Results presented here highlight the potential applications of persimmon by-products to formulate prebiotic ingredients that selectively stimulate the growth of beneficial gut commensals including next-generation probiotics.