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Potato fiber as a dietary fiber source in dog foods
Abstract and Figures
Potato fiber (PF), a co-product of potato starch manufacture, was evaluated as a potential novel fiber source in dog food. Potato fiber contained 55% total dietary fiber, 29% starch, 4% crude protein, and 2% acid-hydrolyzed fat. The PF substrate was evaluated for chemical composition, in vitro digestion and fermentation characteristics, and in vivo responses. For the in vitro hydrolytic-enzymatic digestion and fermentation experiment, raw and cooked PF substrates were first subjected to hydrolytic-enzymatic digestion to determine OM disappearance, then fermented using dog fecal inoculum. Fermentation characteristics were then measured at 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 h. For the in vivo experiment, 10 female mixed breed dogs (6.13 ± 0.17 yr; 22 ± 2.1 kg) were provided 5 diets with graded concentrations (0, 1.5, 3, 4.5, or 6%) of PF in a replicated 5 x 5 Latin square design. Dogs were acclimated to the test diet for 10 d followed by 4 d of total fecal collection. Fresh fecal samples were collected to measure fecal pH and fermentation end-products. In vitro digestion revealed that raw and cooked PF were 32.3 and 27.9% digested enzymatically, while in vitro fermentation showed that PF was fermentable through 9 h. Raw PF had greater (P < 0.05) acetate, propionate, and total short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) concentrations at the 12-h time point compared with cooked PF. The in vivo experiment showed no differences in apparent total tract DM, OM, CP, acid-hydrolyzed fat, or energy digestibility of diets containing graded concentrations of PF. However, total dietary fiber digestibility exhibited a linear increase (P < 0.01) with increasing PF concentrations in the diet. Overall, linear increases (P < 0.01) were observed for all individual and total SCFA, with a concomitant linear decrease (P < 0.01) in fecal pH with increasing dietary PF. Fecal protein catabolite concentrations were low or undetectable, with the exception of spermidine, which exhibited a linear increase with increasing concentrations of PF. These findings indicated that inclusion of PF elicited favorable fermentation characteristics without negatively affecting nutrient digestibility or stool characteristics, indicating that PF could be a functional dietary fiber source in dog foods.
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... Dietary fiber can increase the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and lactate in the intestine, which provide sources of energy throughout the body, contribute to intestinal function, and prevent disease. Dietary fiber also increases microbial metabolic activity and the Firmicutes phylum [7][8][9]. Therefore, increased production of SCFAs and the relative abundance of Firmicutes due to dietary ...
... The relative abundance of phyla can also be impacted by dietary substrates available for microbial fermentation. It was expected that the dietary treatment with the greatest fiber content (T3) would result in an increase in Firmicutes [7][8][9]. Therefore, the numerical decrease in the relative abundance of Firmicutes in fecal samples of dogs fed T3 was surprising. An increase in dietary fiber has also been reported to increase the production of SCFAs [7][8][9]. ...
... Therefore, the numerical decrease in the relative abundance of Firmicutes in fecal samples of dogs fed T3 was surprising. An increase in dietary fiber has also been reported to increase the production of SCFAs [7][8][9]. However, no significant differences were observed in total SCFA concentrations in the fecal samples of dogs fed the dietary treatments [19]. ...
Simple Summary
Corn-fermented protein, a co-product of ethanol production, can be utilized as a protein source for pet food. Currently, there are no studies that have evaluated the impact of this ingredient on the fecal microbiota of dogs, an indicator of animal health. The overall richness and diversity of the fecal microbiota were maintained when dogs were fed corn-fermented protein compared to traditional ingredients such as brewer’s dried yeast and distiller’s dried grains with solubles.
Abstract
Corn-fermented protein (CFP), a co-product from the ethanol industry, is produced using post-fermentation technology to split the protein and yeast from fiber prior to drying. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of CFP compared to traditional ingredients on the fecal microbiota of dogs. The four experimental diets included a control with no yeast and diets containing either 3.5% brewer’s dried yeast, 2.5% brewer’s dried yeast plus 17.5% distiller’s dried grains with solubles, or 17.5% CFP. The experimental diets were fed to adult dogs (n = 12) in a 4 × 4 replicated Latin square design. Fresh fecal samples (n = 48) were analyzed by 16S metagenomic sequencing. Raw sequences were processed through mothur. Community diversity was evaluated in R. Relative abundance data were analyzed within the 50 most abundant operational taxonomic units using a mixed model of SAS. Alpha and beta diversity were similar for all treatments. Predominant phyla among all samples were Firmicutes (73%), Bacteroidetes (15%), Fusobacteria (8%), and Actinobacteria (4%). There were no quantifiable (p > 0.05) shifts in the predominant phyla among the treatments. However, nine genera resulted in differences in relative abundance among the treatments. These data indicate that compared to traditional ingredients, CFP did not alter the overall diversity of the fecal microbiota of healthy adult dogs over 14 days.
... However, it is important to note that high-temperature and pressure processing techniques employed in the production of commercial diets can lead to considerable variations in the concentrations and bioavailability of these compounds. [14,27,31]. In contrast to commercial diets, the BARF diet is not subjected to extensive manufacturing processes and is fed to dogs in its raw form. ...
... Previous studies have shown that commercial diets, usually with a lower proportion of protein and a higher amount of carbohydrates, relative to the BARF diet, have been associated with a higher abundance of bacteria such as Prevotella, Faecalibacterium, and Turicibacter [27,28,35] These bacteria have previously been related to carbohydrate metabolism, production of SCFAs, regulation of intestinal motility, and downregulate the intestinal pH to create an environment that is not suitable for pH-sensitive enteropathogens [28,51]. Commercial diets administered in kibble have a higher proportion of carbohydrates and therefore the presence of bacteria such as these favors the proper metabolism of these macromolecules [18,21,27,28,31,35,50]. ...
... Previous studies have shown that commercial diets, usually with a lower proportion of protein and a higher amount of carbohydrates, relative to the BARF diet, have been associated with a higher abundance of bacteria such as Prevotella, Faecalibacterium, and Turicibacter [27,28,35] These bacteria have previously been related to carbohydrate metabolism, production of SCFAs, regulation of intestinal motility, and downregulate the intestinal pH to create an environment that is not suitable for pH-sensitive enteropathogens [28,51]. Commercial diets administered in kibble have a higher proportion of carbohydrates and therefore the presence of bacteria such as these favors the proper metabolism of these macromolecules [18,21,27,28,31,35,50]. These results confirm that the composition of the diet has a significant impact on the composition of the microbiota. ...
Background:
Diet is known to strongly modulate the composition of the gut microbiota, thereby affecting health conditions and disease. Natural BARF-type and commercial diets have been used for feeding pets (e.g. dogs and cats) promoting changes in the canine microbiota in terms of abundance, richness, and diversity that may favor certain metabolic processes and resistance to certain infectious agents. Therefore, the present study sought to identify microbiota changes in dogs fed with a BARF-type diet versus dogs fed with a commercial diet by sequencing the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene.
Methods:
The microbiota of dogs fed with the BARF-diet (n = 20) and commercial-diet (n = 26) was studied using fecal samples. A metabarcoding strategy was employed by sequencing the V4 hypervariable region of the 16S rRNA gene using the Illumina HiSeq platform. DADA2 was used to assess the quality profile of the reads and to determine the core sample inference algorithm of the reads to infer amplicon sequence variants (ASVs). The taxonomic assignment was performed using sequences from the Silva v138 formatted reference database. The microbial diversity analysis was performed using the R package Phyloseq, which was used to calculate diversity and abundance indices and construct the respective graphs. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) effect size analysis (LEfSe) was used to identify the differentially abundant taxa in the BARF group versus the commercial-diet group.
Results:
The diet causes changes in fecal microbiota composition and diversity, with richness and diversity being higher in BARF-fed dogs. Beta diversity analyses confirmed that diet is directly related to microbiota composition regardless of breed or sex. Differentially enriched taxa were identified in each of the diets as Fusobacterium, Bacteroides, and Clostridium perfringens in BARF-fed dogs and Prevotella, Turicibacter, Faecalibacterium, and Peptacetobacter (Clostridium) hiranonis, mostly relevant in carbohydrate metabolism, in commercial-fed dogs.
Conclusions:
This study is the first one carried out in dogs from Colombia that seeks to identify changes in the intestinal microbiota concerning natural BARF type diet and commercial diet using a metabarcoding approach. Important differences were identified in terms of richness, diversity, and differentially enriched bacteria in each of the diets. The microbiota of dogs fed the BARF diet was characterized by higher richness and diversity compared to the commercial diet. However, it was identified that BARF-fed dogs can potentially acquire more opportunistic infections by pathogens of importance such as C. perfringens. Most of the taxa enriched in commercial diet-fed dogs are linked to carbohydrate metabolism, which may be directly related to diet composition.
... Regarding the results obtained with the official method, all starch fractions (RS, DS and the sum of both fractions TS) in untreated samples (NH/NW) were comparable to those described in the literature (McCleary et al., 2020;Panasevich et al., 2013;Thuy & Van Tai, 2022). TS was found to be from 60 to 86% for all ingredients, except for Potato fiber, where the TS was just around 10%. ...
... This observation could explain the decreases observed in the model systems treated with heat and water in all the ingredients tested in this work. Panasevich et al. (2013) characterizing Potato fiber before and after cooking treatment (suspended in excess water and autoclaved at 121 • C for 1 h) observed minimal changes for starch fractions: RS decreased from 6.2% to 4.6% and DS increased from 22.4% to 24.1% with cooking. Data correspond to mean and deviation standard appears in parentheses. ...
... These fibers have different compositions and physicochemical properties which could lead to different results in digestibility. Murray et al. (1999) concluded that an inclusion rate of 50% potato flour, a common grainfree starch source with high RS, as the main starch source in Fecal pH 6.5 6.5 6.9 6.7 6.5 6.5 6.6 6.5 6.6 6.4 0.13 Panasevich et al. (2013) showed no difference in CP digestibility up to a 6% as-is inclusion rate of potato fiber as a fiber source in dry extruded dog food. The current research included 4% of different carbohydrate sources (asis basis) in the wet food formulation. ...
... Peixoto et al. (2017) and Ribeiro et al. (2019) reported an increase in total fecal SCFA concentration with a diet containing 1.5% (DM basis) RS from extrusion processing compared with the 0.2% (DM basis) RS diet in dogs. Panasevich et al. (2013) found linear increases in all individual and total fecal SCFA with diets of increasing potato RS content in dogs. Jackson et al. (2020) found an increase in fecal butyrate concentration and a decrease in fecal ammonia concentration in cats fed a diet with 7.9% (DM basis) RS from extrusion processing. ...
Green banana flour (GBF) is a novel ingredient that is high in resistant starch and could be a dietary fiber source in companion animal nutrition. In addition, with its light brown color and pectin content, GBF could potentially serve as a natural color additive and thickening agent in pet food manufacturing. The purpose of this research is to evaluate different sources of GBF, the effect of GBF on texture and color in canned foods, and its effect on apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD), fecal characteristics, and fecal fermentative end-products in healthy adult cats. Prior to the feline study, different sources of GBF were analyzed for chemical composition, manufacturing properties, true metabolizable energy, and fermentability. For the feline feeding trial, all treatment diets were formulated to meet or exceed the Association of American Feed Control Officials (Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) 2020. Official Publication. Champaign, IL.) guidelines for adult cat maintenance. There were five dietary treatments: rice control (4% rice flour), potato control (4% dehydrated potato flakes), 1% GBF (1% GBF and 3% rice flour), 2% GBF (2% GBF and 2% rice flour), and 4% GBF. All treatment diets were analyzed for texture and color. The animal study was conducted using a completely randomized design with 39 adult domestic cats. There was a 7-d diet adaptation period followed by a baseline fresh fecal collection to determine fecal score, pH, short-chain fatty acid, branched-chain fatty acid, phenol, indole, ammonia, and microbiota. The treatment period lasted for 21 d and a total fecal collection was performed during the last 4 d of this period to determine the ATTD. A fresh fecal sample was also collected during the total fecal collection to evaluate fecal score, pH, metabolites, and microbiota. The MIXED model procedures of SAS version 9.4 were used for statistical analysis. Treatment diets containing GBF had a lower hardness from the texture profile analysis (P < 0.05). For color analysis, the 4% GBF diet was darker in color compared with the rice diet (P < 0.05). There was no difference in food intake, fecal output, or ATTD of macronutrients among the treatment groups (P > 0.05). There was no interaction of treatment and time or main effects shown in fecal score, pH, metabolites, or microbiota diversity (P > 0.05). In conclusion, adding GBF to canned diets may affect the texture and color of the product, but GBF was comparable to traditional carbohydrate sources, rice, and potato, from a nutritional aspect.
... The European 3Rs rules widely encourage the use of alternative strategies such as in vitro models reproducing digestion or fermentation processes occurring within the gut. Up to now, most of the in vitro systems developed to reproduce the canine large intestine are simple static batch models (Sunvold et al. 1995;Tzortzis et al. 2004;Bosch et al. 2008;Cutrignelli et al. 2009;Panasevich et al. 2013;Vierbaum et al. 2019; Van den Abbeele et al. 2020;Oba et al. 2020). These models are inoculated with dog stools, but most of them have not been adapted to the canine specific digestive environment. ...
... This was achieved thanks to a wide literature review (150 publications) we previously performed on canine colonic physicochemical (pH and transit time), nutritional (composition of simulated ileal effluents including nutrients and bile acids), and microbial (gut microbes' composition and functionalities) parameters (Deschamps et al. 2022b). Up to now, most of the systems (8 out of 10) developed to reproduce the canine colonic environment are static batch models (Sunvold et al. 1995;Tzortzis et al. 2004;Bosch et al. 2008;Cutrignelli et al. 2009;Panasevich et al. 2013;Vierbaum et al. 2019;Duysburgh et al. 2020; Van den Abbeele et al. 2020;Oba et al. 2020). Compared to CANIM-ARCOL, such systems are much more simplified related to physiological conditions, excluding digestive regionalization and dynamism (Table 2). ...
Differences in dog breed sizes are an important determinant of variations in digestive physiology, mainly related to the large
intestine. In vitro gut models are increasingly used as alternatives to animal experiments for technical, cost, societal, and
regulatory reasons. Up to now, only one in vitro model of the canine colon incorporates the dynamics of different canine gut
regions, yet no adaptations exist to reproduce size-related digestive parameters. To address this limitation, we developed a
new model of the canine colon, the CANIne Mucosal ARtificial COLon (CANIM-ARCOL), simulating main physiochemical
(pH, transit time, anaerobiosis), nutritional (ileal effluent composition), and microbial (lumen and mucus-associated
microbiota) parameters of this ecosystem and adapted to three dog sizes (i.e., small under 10 kg, medium 10–30 kg, and
large over 30 kg). To validate the new model regarding microbiota composition and activities, in vitro fermentations were
performed in bioreactors inoculated with stools from 13 dogs (4 small, 5 medium, and 4 large). After a stabilization period,
microbiota profiles clearly clustered depending on dog size. Bacteroidota and Firmicutes abundances were positively correlated
with dog size both in vitro and in vivo, while opposite trends were observed for Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria.
As observed in vivo, microbial activity also increased with dog size in vitro, as evidenced from gas production, short-chain
fatty acids, ammonia, and bile acid dehydroxylation. In line with the 3R regulation, CANIM-ARCOL could be a relevant
platform to assess bilateral interactions between food and pharma compounds and gut microbiota, capturing inter-individual
or breed variabilities.
... The impact of fiber in blood triglycerides concentration could be related to the reduction in fat digestibility, which could result in lower triglyceride absorption and postprandial hypertriglyceridemia. However, other authors have observed that increasing fiber in canine diets resulted in little or no effect on fat digestibility [69][70][71][72][73]. ...
Gallbladder mucocele, cholelithiasis, choledocholithiasis, and cholecystitis are significant contributors to morbidity and mortality in dogs. The exact etiology of these conditions remains poorly understood, though various factors, such as endocrinopathies, dyslipidemia, and impaired gallbladder motility, have been suggested as potential contributors. Surgical intervention has been described as the first choice of treatment when biliary rupture or obstruction is suspected; however, medical management may be an important part of therapeutic or preventative strategy. Reports of medical management typically involve the use of a choleretic used to stimulate the flow of bile into the duodenum or substances that act as a “hepatoprotective” agent such as S-adenosylmethionine. In people, some nutrients appear to modify bile flow and are used as agents in the prevention and treatment of these conditions in the gallbladder. This paper provides a review of the literature about possible nutritional factors involved in the pathogenesis and treatment of canine gallbladder mucocele and cholelithiasis. Opportunities for the prevention and treatment of common biliary diseases in dogs may include the reduction of dietary fat, control of hyperlipidemia with omega-3 and fiber supplementation, ensuring an adequate supply of amino acids such as methionine and tryptophan, and the evaluation of vitamins such as vitamin D.
The changing notion of “companion animals” and their increasing global status as family members underscores the dynamic interaction between gut microbiota and host health. This review provides a comprehensive understanding of the intricate microbial ecology within companion animals required to maintain overall health and prevent disease. Exploration of specific diseases and syndromes linked to gut microbiome alterations (dysbiosis), such as inflammatory bowel disease, obesity, and neurological conditions like epilepsy, are highlighted. In addition, this review provides an analysis of the various factors that impact the abundance of the gut microbiome like age, breed, habitual diet, and microbe-targeted interventions, such as probiotics. Detection methods including PCR-based algorithms, fluorescence in situ hybridisation, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing are reviewed, along with their limitations and the need for future advancements. Prospects for longitudinal investigations, functional dynamics exploration, and accurate identification of microbial signatures associated with specific health problems offer promising directions for future research. In summary, it is an attempt to provide a deeper insight into the orchestration of multiple microbial species shaping the health of companion animals and possible species-specific differences.
In recent years, one of the most critical topics in microbiology that can be addressed is microbiome and microbiota. The term microbiome contains both the microbiota and structural elements, metabolites/signal molecules, and the surrounding environmental conditions, and the microbiota consists of all living members forming the microbiome. Among; the intestinal microbiota is one of the most important microbiota, also called the gut microbiota. After colonization, the gut microbiota can have different functions, including resistance to pathogens, maintaining the intestinal epithelium, metabolizing dietary and pharmaceutical compounds, and controlling immune function. Recently, studies have shown that the gut microbiota can prevent the formation of fat in the body. In this study, we examined the gut microbiota in various animals, including dogs, cats, dairy cows, sheep, chickens, horses, and people who live in urban and rural areas. Based on the review of various studies, it has been determined that the population of microbiota in animals and humans is different, and various factors such as the environment, nutrition, and contact with animals can affect the microbiota of people living in urban and rural areas.
Kefir is a fermented dairy beverage that has been consumed by humans for centuries, but poorly studied in pets. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of commercial or traditional kefir supplementation on apparent total tract macronutrient digestibility (ATTD) and fecal characteristics, microbiota populations, and metabolite and immunoglobulin (Ig) A concentrations of healthy adult dogs. Twelve healthy adult dogs (5.67±1.72 y, 7.27±1.15 kg) were used in a replicated 3x3 Latin square design (n=12/group). All dogs were fed a commercial diet and allotted to 1 of 3 treatments (60 mL/d): 2% reduced-fat milk treated with lactase [CNTL; 4.57E+03 lactic acid bacteria (LAB) colony-forming units (CFU)/mL], commercial kefir (C-Kefir; 6.95E+04 LAB CFU/mL), or traditional kefir brewed daily from 2% reduced-fat milk and kefir grains (T-Kefir; 1.79E+09 LAB CFU/mL). The experiment was composed of three 28-d periods, with each consisting of a 22-d transition phase, a 5-d fecal collection phase, and 1 d for blood collection. Fecal samples were collected for determination of ATTD and fecal pH, dry matter, microbiota, and metabolite and IgA concentrations. Data were analyzed using the Mixed Models procedure of SAS 9.4. The main effects of treatment were tested, with significance set at p≤0.05 and trends set at p≤0.10. Kefir products differed in microbial density and profile, but fecal microbiota populations were weakly impacted. Bacterial alpha diversity tended to be greater (p=0.10) in dogs fed T-Kefir than those fed CNTL. Bacterial beta diversity analysis identified a difference (p<0.0004) between dogs fed CNTL and those fed C-Kefir. Dogs fed C-Kefir tended to have a greater (p=0.06) relative abundance of Fusobacteriota than those fed CNTL or T-Kefir. Dogs fed T-Kefir had a greater (p<0.0001) relative abundance of Lactococcus than those fed CNTL or C-Kefir. Dogs fed T-Kefir also tended to have a lower (p=0.09) relative abundance of Escherichia-Shigella and greater (p=0.09) relative abundance of Candidatus stoquefichus than dogs fed CNTL or C-Kefir. Dogs fed C-Kefir tended to have lower (p=0.08) fecal valerate concentrations than those fed CNTL or T-Kefir. All other measures were unaffected by kefir treatments. Our results suggest that kefir supplementation had minor effects on the fecal microbiota populations and fecal metabolite concentrations of healthy adult dogs without impacting ATTD, fecal characteristics, or fecal IgA concentrations.
The objective was to evaluate through three experiments the effects of a fine cassava fibre (CA: 106 µm) on kibble characteristics, coefficients of total tract apparent digestibility (CTTAD) of macronutrients, diet palatability and faecal metabolites and microbiota of dogs. Dietary treatments consisted of a control diet (CO), without an added fibre source and with 4.3% total dietary fibre (TDF), and a diet with 9.6% CA (106 µm), with 8.4% TDF. Experiment I evaluated the physical characteristics of the kibbles. The palatability test was evaluated in experiment II, which compared the diets CO versus CA. In experiment III, 12 adult dogs were randomly assigned to one of the two dietary treatments for 15 days, totalling six replicates/treatment, to assess the CTTAD of macronutrients; faecal characteristics, faecal metabolites and microbiota. The expansion index, kibble size and friability of diets with CA were higher than the CO (p < 0.05). Additionally, the CA diet presented higher palatability than the CO (p < 0.05) but did not affect CTTAD except for those of fibre (p > 0.05). Moreover, a greater faecal concentration of acetate, butyrate and total short‐chain fatty acids (SCFA) and a lower faecal concentration of phenol, indole and isobutyrate were observed in dogs fed the CA diet (p < 0.05). Dogs fed with the CA diet presented a greater bacterial diversity and richness and a greater abundance of genera considered to be beneficial for gut health, such as Blautia, Faecalibacterium and Fusobacterium when compared to the CO group (p < 0.05). The inclusion of 9.6% of a fine CA improves the expansion of kibbles and diet palatability without affecting most of the CTTAD of nutrients. Besides, it improves the production of some SCFA and modulates the faecal microbiota of dogs.
Two factorial experiments (4 temperatures × 2 durations) were carried out to test the effect of drying variables on nutritional and physical quality indicators of extruded canine diets produced using a 4 and 8 mm die (kibble size). The diet was extruded using a single screw extruder at 130 °C and 300 g moisture/kg. The drying temperatures used were 80, 120, 160 and 200 °C and each diet was dried to 90 or 60 g moisture/kg diet (drying duration). Drying of the diets was conducted in draught-forced ovens and each sample was analysed for dry matter, nitrogen, amino acids (including reactive lysine) and fatty acid content. Hardness and specific density of the tested diets were not affected by drying temperature or time. Kibble durability was affected (P<0.05) by drying temperature: the highest temperature (200 °C) resulted in a decreased durability compared to 80 °C. The drying time had no effects on the level of individual or total amino acids or on the proportion of reactive lysine. In 4 mm kibbles, drying temperature of 200 °C lowered (P<0.05) only proline, total lysine and reactive lysine concentrations: the reactive to total lysine ratio in kibbles dried at 120 °C was higher than that of kibbles dried at 200 °C. Drying temperature of 200 °C decreased the concentration of linolenic and linoleic acid and increased that of oleic acid (P<0.05), a finding that might be indicative for lipid oxidation of 4 mm kibbles during the drying process. In 8 mm kibbles, only reactive lysine concentrations were significantly lower with a concomitant decrease of the kibble durability (P<0.05). Drying of pet foods at high temperatures (160–180 °C) can significantly reduce nutrients or nutrient reactivity.
Many dietary factors influence fecal out-put and consistency including digestibility, fiber, and resistant starches. To better understand how dietary change can influence the microbiome and fecal characteristics we performed a 4 week feeding trial using two different foods in six dogs. While feeding to maintain each dog's present body weight; fecal scoring and defecations per day were recorded for each food. At the end of each time period fresh fecal samples were collected and then partitioned for pH analysis and bacterial tag-encoded FLX 16S rDNA amplicon pyrosequencing to evaluate the microbiome. Food A resulted in a significant decrease in fecal pH and fecal quality, and an increase in daily defecations. Fecal flora analysis revealed significant increases in Lactobacillales, and Clostridiales VII and decreases in Erysipeolotrichales and Coriobacteriales family microrganisms when the dogs were fed Food A. While we have yet to determine the specific component in food A responsible for this dramatic shift in fecal pH and change in fecal microflora, the proximate analysis suggests the potential for reduced digestibility, higher fiber (soluble and insoluble) content, and/or resistant starch as potential causes.
Two diets containing sugar beet pulp or chicory pulp (7 p. 100 ADF on dry matter basis) were compared with a control diet without additional fibre in eight adult healthy dogs. The three diets were evaluated for their ability to modify faecal parameters, nutrients digestibility and blood metabolites (glucose, insulin, alpha-amino nitrogen, urea, cholesterol and triglycerids) measured on fasted dogs or postprandially during six hours. Incorporating sugar beet pulp or chicory pulp in the diet was associated with increased wet faeces excretion, increased excretion of faecal dry matter and lower nutrients digestibility. Consumption of sugar beet pulp containing diet was associated with decreased fasted glucose, cholesterol and urea concentrations and with decreased postprandial insulin, urea, cholesterol and triglycerids concentrations. Chicory pulp containing diet led to significant decrease of fasted urea and cholesterol concentrations and with postprandial decreased of insulin, urea and cholesterol. Sugar beet pulp and chicory pulp, similar in composition, produced similar effects on faecal parameters and nutrients digestibility but systemic effects were more important with beet pulp.
This study was performed to estimate the pool of SCFA produced in the digestive tract of growing pigs after the consumption of diets containing dif-ferent sources of resistant starch (RS) (15 g per meal) (potato starch (PoS), high amylose maize starch (HS) and retrograded extruded HS (RHS)). SCFA production in vitro was respectively 19, 23 and 21 mmol g−1 of fermented PoS, HS and RHS. The highest butyric acid production was observed with PoS. Fifty six, 36 and 19% respectively of ingested PoS, HS and RHS escaped digestion in the small intestine, whereas residual starch was completely fermented in the large bowel. Luminal total SCFA in the caeco-colon 7 h after the experimental meal were respectively 33, 78 and 105 mmol for PoS, HS and RHS, with PoS providing the highest production of butyric acid. Theoretical in vivo SCFA production, calculated on the basis of results for in vitro fermentation and ileal digestibility, differed from in vivo results for PoS (+65%) and HS (-13%), but not for RHS. This study reveals different rates of disappearance of RS both in vitro and in vivo. © 1998 SCI.