Intestinal microbiota composition influences the response to different sources of dietary fiber

The intestinal microbiota is modulated by the intake of dietary-fiber containing functional ingredients, such as resistant starch or inulin. This study assesses the effects of the discontinued consumption of RS-rich Unripe banana flower, or the prebiotic Inulin, on the human intestinal microbiota, and its interactions with intestinal function. A double-blind, parallel, randomized, placebo-controlled pilot trial was carried out for 6 weeks, with 48 healthy subjects consuming maltodextrin (control group), Inulin, or UBF 3 times/week, to investigate the effects of these unavailable carbohydrates on the microbiome and their effects on intestinal functioning. Microbiome data was collected at baseline (T01) and at the end of the intervention period (T02) for all subjects, with additional samples collected up to two more times after the intervention was discontinued from some subjects (T03 and T04). The intestinal microbial dynamic was accessed by sequencing the bacterial V1V2 region of the 16S rRNA gene.