Journal of Nutrition

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Journal of Nutrition Vol. 112 No. 1 January 1982, pp. 158-166
Copyright © 1982 by American Society for Nutrition
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Influence of Dietary Fibers on Fermentation in the Human Large Intestine1

F. R. Ehle2, J. B. Robertson and P. J. Van Soest

Department of Animal Science, Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853

Fiber sources were fed to 24 men to evaluate the effect of fiber on large intestinal microflora. The diets were a low fiber basal or the basal diet supplemented with coarse bran, fine bran, cabbage, or cellulose (Solka floc). Twelve subjects (Group 1) were fed all fiber sources using a latin square design with 2-week experimental periods followed by a 3-week period on the basal diet. Group 2 made one diet change after the first experimental period, then remained on that diet throughout the experiment; during the last period their fiber intake was doubled (to approximately 26 g/day). A microbial culture system was utilized with fecal microflora to measure cell wall indigestibility and volatile fatty acid (VFA) production. Volatile fatty acids were also measured in fresh feces. The in vitro substrates were alfalfa, coarse bran, cabbage, or cellulose. In this system, dietary fiber had a significant (P < .05) effect on resultant cell wall indigestibility and VFA levels. Previous diet in group 1 subjects significantly (P < .05) affected in vitro VFA. In group 2 significant (P < .05) period and subject effects were present for the in vitro VFA data. The VFA concentrations in feces of humans were significantly affected by the fiber consumed.

KEY WORDS: • dietary fiber • fermentation • large intestine • human

1 Supported in part by DHEW, NC1, grant 1-R01-CA21016-01.

2 Address correspondence to: F. R. Ehle, Department of Animal Science, 130 Haecker Hall, 1364 Eckles Avenue, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108

Manuscript received 7 July 1981.




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