In vitro fermentation of beta-glucans and other selected carbohydrates by infant fecal inoculum: An evaluation of their potential as prebiotics in infant formula

Prebiotics are being added to infant formula in order to mimic the effects of human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) for the growth of probiotic bacteria especially bifidobacteria and lactobacilli in the infant gut. This preliminary study compares the in vitro fermentation of 13 different carbohydrates including monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides and polysaccharides by infant fecal samples collected from 3-month old breast-milk fed babies. The growth of the total anaerobic bacteria and two probiotic bacteria (bifidobacteria and lactobacilli) during the fermentation period was measured by total plate count (TPC) and was expressed as colony forming units (CFUs). Among other things, beta-glucans seem to selectively enhance the growth of lactobacilli for a longer period of fermentation time than most of the carbohydrates tested. The selective enrichment of the probiotic bacteria by these carbohydrates and their potential use as prebiotics in the infant formula are discussed.