Advances in understanding dietary fiber: Classification, structural characterization, modification, and gut...

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Biochemistry
• Material Science

Background:

• Gut microbiota and their metabolites significantly influence host physiology.
• Targeted modulation of gut microbiota is a key scientific interest.
• Dietary fibers (DFs) are explored for their potential to modulate gut microbiota and enhance beneficial metabolites.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the challenge of predicting DF impact on the gut microbiome.
• To explore the relationship between the chemical and structural complexity of DFs and their interaction with gut microbiota.
• To summarize fiber processing techniques for enhanced fermentability.

Main Methods:

• Detailed elaboration of fiber chemical and structural complexity (molecular composition, polymorphism, mesoscopic structures, porosity, particle size).
• Discussion of advanced characterization techniques for fiber structural properties.
• Examination of DF-gut microbiota interactions and fiber processing techniques.

Main Results:

• Fiber structure (crystallinity, porosity, branching, wettability) significantly influences interactions with gut microbiota.
• Structural differences in DFs substantially affect their fermentability and capacity to modulate gut microbiota composition.
• Conventional methods are insufficient for analyzing complex fiber properties and their microbiome impact.

Conclusions:

• A comprehensive understanding of DF structure-host-microbiome interactions is crucial.
• Advanced material characterization and artificial intelligence are essential for detailed analysis.
• This approach offers a new perspective for precise prediction and modulation of the gut microbiome through DFs.