The effect of dietary fibre preparations from potato starch on the growth and activity of bacterial strains belonging to the phyla Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria

• Dietary fibre from potato starch reduced the growth Firmicutes.
• Dietary fibre from potato starch stimulated the growth Bacteroides and Actinobacteria.
• Dietary fibre from potato starch stimulated increase in production SCFA.
• Dietary fibre from potato starch may be used prophylactically to prevent obesity.

In the present study, it was ascertained whether dietary fibre preparations derived from potato starch with prebiotic properties would promote the growth of Bacteroidetes strains while also inhibiting Firmicutes strains at the same time. The fibre preparations were added to faecal samples from obese children and incubated for 24 hours at 37 °C under anaerobic conditions. It was found that the studied preparations stimulate the growth of bacterial strains belonging to the phyla Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria, while reducing the quantity of strains belonging to the phylum Firmicutes – especially Clostridium (enzyme-resistant citric acid-modified dextrin D1 p = 0.02, enzyme-resistant tartaric acid-modified dextrin D2 p < 0.01). The concentration of SCFA in the stool of obese children after a period of incubation with the fibre preparations was higher in comparison to stool not containing these preparations D1 (p = 0.03) and D2 (p = 0.04). Dietary fibre preparations obtained from potato starch may be used prophylactically to prevent obesity.