Catholic University of Porto, Faculty of Biotechnology, Porto, Portugal.
celiaamsfcosta@gmail.com

Poster Presented at 6th World Congress on Targeting Microbiota, October 28th to 30th , 2018, Porto, Portugal.



Introduction

The human gut microbiota has become increasingly relevant when studying human health and disease due to its connection with the immune system and metabolism. Several factors are known to shape the microbiota composition, such as age, diet or genetic markers.

Furthermore, the gut microbiota can be actively modulated by prebiotics, which pass through the gastrointestinal tract and are then fermented by colonic bacteria, leading to the production of metabolites and to changes in the microbial population dynamics’[1].

In parallel, mushroom’s consumption has becoming more relevant in western diets. Coriolus versicolor is a mushroom known for its immunomodulatory properties but has also displayed prebiotic-like activity in previous studies[2,3].

The main goal of the present work was to evaluate the prebiotic potential of a commercial supplement of Coriolus versicolor biomass through in vitro faecal fermentations, using fresh faecal samples from five healthy donors, and to perform the subsequent analysis of changes in the bacterial population as well as concerning the production of short chain fatty acids(SCFA).

Conclusions:

-Coriolus versicolor biomass was able to induce changes in the gut microbiota with Firmicutes and C. leptum population reacting similarly to the presence of FOS and Coriolus versicolor biomass;

-The pH values decreased throughout the 48 h of fermentation thus showing that Coriolus versicolor was fermented.

-The fermentation led to the production of SFCA and sugar consumption. Glucose was consumed, and arabinose (a sugar present in mushroom) was detected. Propionic and acetic acid were detected after 12 h but lactic acid was only detected after 24 h of fermentation.

-This behaviour may open the possibility for its establishment as a prebiotic.

1. Wang, B., Yao, M. LV, L.; Ling, Z. & Li, L. 2017.The Human Microbiota in Health and Disease. Engineering, 3, 7182.
2. Cruz, A., Pimentel, L. L., Rodriguez-Alcala, L.M., Fernandes, T. & Pintada, M. 2016. Health Benefits of Edible Mushrooms Focused on Coriolus versicolor: A Review. Journal of Food and Nutrition Research, 4,773-781.
3. Yu, Z-T., Liu, B., Mukherjee, P. & Newburg, D.S. 2013. Trametes versicolor Extract Modifies Human Fecal Microbiota Composition in vitro. Plant Foods for Human Nutrition, 68, 107-112.