Polyphenols from sauce-flavor distiller's grains: Improving the fecal microbial structure and intestinal barrier...

The long-time fermentation of Baijiu triggered the abundant polyphenols retained in distiller's grains, but the inadequate research towards functional regulation limited the high-value utilization. This research focused on the impact of sauce-flavor distiller's grains (SFDGs) polyphenols on fecal microbiota structure, biotransformation, and the regulatory mechanism of IEC-6 cell barrier function. The results showed that direct ultrasonic-assisted extraction maximized the yield of SFDGs polyphenols (6.13 ± 0.06 mg GAE/g). The SFDGs polyphenols significantly promoted the production of total short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) (85.81 ± 3.16 - 296.79 ± 63.79 mM). Daidzin, glycitein, genistein, biochanin A, and epicatechin were identified as key compounds for antioxidant activity and modulating fecal microbiota structure. These polyphenols interacted with the fecal microbiota, were converted into metabolites such as 3-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, altering microbiota gene functional pathways. The polyphenols (mainly glycitein) improved IEC-6 barrier damage caused by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) through activating the IL-6-SC-Occludin molecular signaling pathway. This study provides a scientific basis for efficiently utilizing distiller's grains.