Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 13, 2026
06:23
Applying Advanced In Vitro Culturing Technology to Study the Human Gut Microbiota
Published on: February 15, 2019
Microbial Dynamics of Yogurts with Different Starter Cultures Under an In Vitro Gastrointestinal System Using 16S
Merve İnce-Palamutoğlu1,2, Recep Palamutoğlu1, Murat Baş3
1Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Afyonkarahisar Health Science University, Afyonkarahisar 03030, Türkiye.
Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
|June 12, 2026
Summary
Adding probiotic sachets to yogurt boosts beneficial bacteria diversity and resilience during digestion. This makes probiotic yogurt a more robust functional food for enhanced gut health.
Area of Science:
- Food science and technology
- Microbiology
- Gastrointestinal health
Background:
- Yogurt production involves various culture strategies impacting microbial communities.
- Digestive stress can alter the composition and viability of microbes in fermented foods.
- Understanding microbial dynamics in yogurt under simulated digestion is crucial for functional food development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare microbial diversity and changes in yogurts with different cultures under simulated gastrointestinal conditions.
- To evaluate the impact of probiotic sachet supplementation versus standard and probiotic starter cultures.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a dynamic in vitro gastrointestinal system (mouth, stomach, small intestine).
- Analyzed microbial diversity and composition using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing (Oxford Nanopore).
- Assessed changes using bioinformatics, alpha-diversity, and beta-diversity metrics.
Main Results:
- Probiotic sachet addition significantly enhanced microbial richness and diversity (Shannon, Inverse Simpson, p < 0.05).
- Simulated digestion resulted in a Firmicutes-dominant microbiota across all yogurts.
- Post-digestive microbial structure differed significantly in sachet-supplemented yogurts (beta diversity, PCoA, PERMANOVA, p = 0.001).
Conclusions:
- Supplementing yogurt with probiotic sachets increases beneficial bacteria diversity and resilience in the digestive tract.
- Probiotic-enhanced yogurts represent a more robust functional food for promoting gut health.
- The study highlights the importance of culture strategy for yogurt's functional benefits during digestion.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Microbes in Food Production
Microbial fermentation is central to food biotechnology, enhancing flavor, texture, preservation, and stability. Fermentative microorganisms metabolize carbohydrates into organic acids, alcohols, and other metabolites that inhibit spoilage organisms and improve digestibility while contributing distinctive sensory qualities.In baking, amylases naturally present in flour hydrolyze starch into monosaccharides such as glucose, which Saccharomyces cerevisiae ferments anaerobically. Through...
01:27Microbes in the Production of Fermented Foods
Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and molds are instrumental in fermenting plant-based foods to enhance preservation and ensure year-round availability. These microbial processes convert plant carbohydrates into organic acids and other metabolites that inhibit spoilage organisms and contribute to the sensory qualities of the final product.In sauerkraut production, cabbage goes through a microbial succession that starts with cocci such as Leuconostoc mesenteroides. These microbes begin fermentation by...
01:27Microbiota of the Stomach and Small Intestine
The human gastrointestinal (GI) tract is characterized by distinct physicochemical conditions that shape its microbial communities. Among these, the stomach presents a particularly challenging environment for microbial colonization due to its highly acidic pH, ranging from 1 to 3. This extreme acidity effectively limits microbial density. However, certain acid-tolerant microorganisms are capable of surviving in this niche. Notably, Helicobacter pylori can colonize the gastric mucosa,...
01:21Microbiota Modulation by Antibiotics
Antibiotics have revolutionized modern medicine by saving countless lives from bacterial infections. However, their widespread use has inadvertently harmed the delicate balance of the human gut microbiota. The gut microbiota, a complex community of bacteria, archaea, viruses, and fungi, plays a vital role in regulating metabolism, immune responses, and maintaining intestinal health. Antibiotics, especially broad-spectrum types, disrupt this ecosystem by eradicating both harmful and beneficial...
01:30Development of Human Microbiota
The human microbiota begins developing at birth and undergoes continual change as we age. Infancy marks a critical period of microbial sensitivity, offering a “window of opportunity” during which beneficial microbes help mature the immune system. By age three, children typically develop a more stable and diverse microbial community. Newborns acquire microbes from their immediate environment; vaginal delivery favors maternal vaginal microbes, while cesarean births favor microbes from the skin...
01:19Methods to Assess Microbial Communities
Microbial communities, comprising bacteria, archaea, and eukaryotic microorganisms, inhabit diverse ecosystems and play crucial roles in environmental and biological processes. Their diversity is defined by three main parameters: species richness (the number of distinct species), species abundance (the relative quantity of each species), and species evenness (how uniformly individual species are distributed in various locations). These factors together shape the structure and ecological balance...