Fermented, ropy, oat-based products reduce cholesterol levels and stimulate the bifidobacteria flora in humans

• Published in: Nutrition research (New York, N.Y.) Vol. 25; no. 5; pp. 429 - 442
• Main Authors: Mårtensson, Olof, Biörklund, Maria, Lambo, Adele Mbou, Dueñas-Chasco, Maite, Irastorza, Ana, Holst, Olle, Norin, Elisabeth, Welling, Gjalt, Öste, Rickard, Önning, Gunilla
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 2005; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: beta-glucans; Bifidobacterium; Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Biokemi och molekylärbiologi; Biologi; Biological and medical sciences; Biological Sciences; blood glucose; blood lipids; Cereal and baking product industries; cholesteremic effect; Cholesterol; cholesterol metabolism; Engineering and Technology; Exopolysaccharides; feces; Feeding. Feeding behavior; fermented foods; Food industries; food intake; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; health foods; Health Sciences; high density lipoprotein; Hälsovetenskap; Industrial Biotechnology; Industriell bioteknik; intestinal microorganisms; lactic acid bacteria; low density lipoprotein; Medical and Health Sciences; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Natural Sciences; Naturvetenskap; Nondairy; Nutrition and Dietetics; Näringslära; oat products; Oats; Pediococcus damnosus; Pediococcus damnosus 2.6; Prebiotic; prebiotics; sensory evaluation; Teknik; triacylglycerols; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; viability; volunteers; Oats; Pediococcus damnosus 2.6; Exopolysaccharides; Nondairy; Prebiotic; Cholesterol; Human; Oat; Bifidobacterium; Actinomycetaceae; Digestive system; Lipids; Microflora; Gastrointestinal; Fermented product; Prebiotics; Actinomycetales; Glucan; Health food; Bacteria; Cereal; Actinomycetes
• ISSN: 0271-5317; 1879-0739
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nutres.2005.03.004

This investigation determined the effects of fermented oat-based products containing both native and microbial
β-glucans on plasma lipids and on fecal total bacterial count and
Bifidobacterium ssp. The study was randomized, double blind with 3 parallel groups. Sixty-two free-living volunteers with moderately increased plasma cholesterol levels were recruited. In the final analysis, 56 subjects remained, as 6 subjects had left the study either due to lack of time (n = 2), unwillingness to continue the regimen (n = 2), or for other reasons (n = 2). During the first 3 weeks, all subjects received a fermented dairy-based product (control product, run-in period). On the following 5 weeks, 1 group continued with the control product, whereas the other 2 groups were given fermented oat-based products (intervention period, 3-3.5 g native
β-glucans per day). One of the oat products (ropy) was cofermented with an exopolysaccharide-producing strain,
Pediococcus damnosus 2.6. A significant (
P = .022) reduction in total cholesterol by 6% was observed in volunteers who had eaten the fermented, ropy, oat-based product compared with the control group. No other significant changes in plasma lipids were found. A significant increase in total bacterial count (
P = .001) and
Bifidobacterium ssp (
P = .012) was observed in fecal samples from volunteers in the group who had eaten the fermented, ropy, oat-based product. This study shows that a fermented, ropy, oat-based product, containing both native and microbial glucans, can reduce the blood cholesterol level and also stimulate the bifidobacteria flora in the gastrointestinal tract.