Summary: In a groundbreaking development, Technion scientists have introduced protein-containing prebiotics, a novel approach to enhance gut health. These prebiotics comprise conjugates of a human-milk prebiotic oligosaccharide 2’-Fucosyllactose (2’-FL) and a hydrolysate of the milk protein lactoferrin (LFH). The conjugates demonstrated impressive in-vivo results- significantly better than the control of conventional (unconjugated) 2’-FL and LFH.
Key Findings:
· 2’-FL-LFH promoted the growth of short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing bacterial families and significantly increased colonic SCFA concentrations in vivo
· The protein-containing prebiotic group exhibited lower plasma lipopolysaccharide (LPS) levels, indicative of reduced gut permeability, compared to the control groups.
Implications: This innovative prebiotic outperforms the traditional carbohydrate-only prebiotics, offering a more effective approach for boosting the good gut microbes (probiotics), and consequently improving health.
By varying oligosaccharide and protein components, this modular platform technology opens avenues for tailoring products to promote specific desirable probiotics, thereby achieving intended health benefits and creating unique solutions for target consumer populations. This breakthrough not only advances prebiotic science but also holds promise for producing personalized prebiotic products for promoting health.
Stav Peled, Shay Freilich, Hila Hanani, Yechezkel Kashi and Yoav D. Livney*, Next-generation prebiotics: Maillard-conjugates of 2'-fucosyllactose and lactoferrin hydrolysates beneficially modulate gut microbiome, Food Research International 177 (2024) 113830, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2023.113830
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