This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Maczulak, A E Articles by Miller, T L Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Maczulak, A E Articles by Miller, T L Agricola Articles by Maczulak, A E Articles by Miller, T L

Next Article 

Appl Environ Microbiol. 1993 March; 59(3): 657-662

Amounts of viable anaerobes, methanogens, and bacterial fermentation products in feces of rats fed high-fiber or fiber-free diets.

Wadsworth Center for Laboratories and Research, New York State Department of Health, Albany 12201-0509.

ABSTRACT

We investigated the impact of dietary fiber on the fecal output of microorganisms and microbial fermentation products of rats. Two groups of five male Wistar rats were fed high-fiber (HF) and fiber-free (FF) diets in the following order: (group 1) lab chow-->HF-->FF-->HF and (group 2) lab chow-->FF-->HF-->FF. Daily fecal output of total viable anaerobes was 71 times higher with the HF diet. Daily output of methanogens was 1.4 times higher for the HF diet than for the FF diet. Daily excretion of total fermentation acid products (acetate, propionate, butyrate, lactate, succinate, and formate) was 2.4 and 0.1 mmol for HF and FF diets, respectively. The ratios of acetate/propionate/butyrate were 69:21:10 for the HF diet and 92:7:1 for the FF diet. The results show that an HF diet significantly increases microbial growth in the colon and influences the proportions of organic acid products. The HF diet did not increase the ratio of methanogens to total anaerobes. We suggest that the contribution of host-derived substrates to colonic microbial growth and fermentation is insignificant.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Anderson, J. W., Hanna, T. J. (1999). Impact of Nondigestible Carbohydrates on Serum Lipoproteins and Risk for Cardiovascular Disease. J. Nutr. 129: 1457-1457 [Abstract] [Full Text]