Combined effects of low-fat ice cream supplemented with probiotics on colon microfloral communities and their metabolites during fermentation in a human gut reactor

This study aimed to investigate the combined effects of low-fat ice cream supplemented with Lactobacillus casei 01 and Lactobacillus acidophilus LA5 on modulating of colon microbiome using an in vitro gut model. The microbial metabolite contents (i.e. short-chain fatty acids, lactic acid and ammonia) and colon microbes (i.e. lactobacilli, bifidobacteria, clostridia, fecal coliforms and total anaerobes) during experiment run were assessed. After administration, when compared to pure low-fat ice cream, the probiotic-low-fat ice creams, especially those with added L. casei 01 cells, were found to have significantly enhanced production of beneficial microbial metabolites viz. acetate, propionate, butyrate and lactic acid in proximal and distal colon vessels, whereas the toxic ammonia levels apparently decreased. Accordingly, based on the profiles of colon microflora, most treatments were shown to stimulate the maximal counts of colon lactobacilli and bifidobacteria, while other harmful microbes such as clostridia and fecal coliforms gradually declined. Therefore, this study may suggest that low-fat ice cream supplemented with both probiotics could provide a beneficial impact on human health.