Pectin fermentation on the human feces

Pectin is a complex dietary fiber and prebiotic. To investigate pectin-induced changes in the gut microbiome and the short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) produced by it, we have performed in vitro pectin fermentation using the feces of three Korean donors. We observed pectin degradation in all three donors. While the donors displayed differences in baseline gut microbiota composition, commonly increased bacteria after pectin fermentation included Lachnospira, Dorea, Clostridium, and Sutterella. Regarding SCFAs, acetate levels rapidly increased with incubation with pectin, and butyrate levels also increased after 6 h of incubation. The results suggest that pectin fermentation increases bacterial species belonging to Clostridium cluster XIV (Lachnospira, Dorea, and Clostridium), with Lachnospira displaying the greatest increase. The results also confirm that pectin fermentation leads to the production of acetate and butyrate.