Fermentability of an enzymatically modified solubilised potato polysaccharide (SPP)

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Human Nutrition
• Dietary Fibre Research

Background:

• Solubilised potato fibre (SPP) is a newly isolated, enzymatically modified, soluble fibre concentrate (>80% dietary fibres).
• Understanding the processing and fermentability of SPP in the human gastrointestinal tract is crucial for its application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the processing and fermentability of solubilised potato fibre (SPP) in the human gastrointestinal tract.
• To evaluate SPP's potential as a dietary fibre supplement and a marker for gastrointestinal transit.

Main Methods:

• Seven healthy volunteers consumed 20g SPP in various forms (alone, raw with bread, baked into bread) and control substances (lactulose, oat bran, wheat bran).
• Oro-coecal transit time (OCTT) and fermentation were assessed using the hydrogen breath test.

Main Results:

• SPP fermentation resulted in a measurable increase in end-expiratory H2, regardless of preparation method (alone, raw with bread, baked into bread).
• OCTT was significantly delayed for raw SPP compared to lactulose (P=0.01) and further delayed when SPP was baked into bread (P=0.01).
• SPP demonstrated potential as a marker for both fluid and solid phase gastrointestinal transit.

Conclusions:

• SPP is a fermentable, highly concentrated soluble fibre source whose properties are unaffected by baking.
• SPP shows promise as a fibre supplement for fibre-poor diets.
• The meal-dependent alteration in OCTT for SPP makes it a valuable marker in gastrointestinal transit studies.