Exploring the effects of galacto-oligosaccharides on the gut microbiota of healthy adults receiving amoxicillin treatment

In the present double-blind, randomised, parallel intervention study, the effects of the intake of galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) on the gut microbiota of twelve healthy adult subjects (aged 18-45 years with a normal BMI (18-25 kg/m2)) receiving amoxicillin (AMX) treatment were determined. All the subjects were treated with AMX (375 mg; three...

Water migration mechanisms in amorphous powder material and related agglomeration propensity

The agglomeration phenomenon of amorphous particulate material is a major problem in the food industry. Currently, the glass transition temperature (Tg) is used as a fundamental parameter to describe and control agglomeration. Models are available that describe the kinetics of the agglomeration process as a function of the distance of the...

Short-chain fructo-oligosaccharides improve magnesium absorption in adolescent girls with a low calcium intake

Consumption of fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) has been shown to improve mineral absorption in the short term, but no long-term effects were studied in girls with a low calcium intake. Therefore, we hypothesized that short- and long-term consumption of short-chain FOS (sc-FOS) improves calcium and magnesium absorption in girls with a low habitual...

Digestibility of resistant starch containing preparations using two in vitro models

Background: Resistant starch (RS) is known for potential health benefits in the human colon. To investigate these positive effects it is important to be able to predict the amount, and the structure of starch reaching the large intestine. Aim of the study: The aim of this study was to compare two different in vitro models simulating the...

Long-term gastrointestinal tolerance of NUTRIOSE®FB in healthy men

Objective: To determine the gastrointestinal (GI) tolerance of NUTRIOSE®FB in men. Design: A randomized, placebo-contro lled, parallel, double-blind study. Setting: The metabolic ward of TNO Quality of Life. Subjects: Forty-eight subjects started the study: 16 men participated in one of the three treatments. Subjects consumed either 22.5 g of...

Electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometric analysis of hexamethylenediamine-modified maltodextrin and dextran

A combined methodology for obtaining at the preparative scale and characterization by nanoelectrospray ionization (nanoESI) quadrupole time-of-flight (QTOF) mass spectrometry (MS) and tandem MS (MS/MS) of linear polysaccharides modified at the reducing end is presented. Two polydisperse maltodextrins (1000 and 3000 Da) and a high molecular...

Dietary supplementation of different doses of NUTRIOSE®FB, a fermentable dextrin, alters the activity of faecal enzymes in healthy men

Background: It is well documented that fermentation of carbohydrates that escape digestion exert several effects supposed to be beneficial for (colonic) health, including an increase in stool volume, a shorter intestinal transit time, production of short chain fatty acids and a decrease of colonic pH (Kritchevsky 1988). NUTRIOSE®FB is a dextrin...

Functional magnetic resonance imaging of human hypothalamic responses to sweet taste and calories

Background: Evidence exists that beverages do not trigger appropriate anticipatory physiologic responses, such as cephalic phase insulin release. Therefore, it is of interest to elucidate the food properties necessary for triggering adaptive responses. Previously, we found a prolonged dose-dependent decrease in the hypothalamic functional...

Short-term digestive tolerance of different doses of NUTRIOSE®FB, a food dextrin, in adult men

Objective: To determine the tolerance of increasing dosages of an incompletely hydrolysed and/or incompletely absorbed food dextrin coming from wheat starch, NUTRIOSE®FB, at daily levels of 10 and 15 g up to 60 and 80 g, respectively. Design: A randomized, double-blind, multiple dose, placebo-controlled, combined crossover and parallel trial....

Properties and applications of starch-converting enzymes of the alpha-amylase family

Starch is a major storage product of many economically important crops such as wheat, rice, maize, tapioca, and potato. A large-scale starch processing industry has emerged in the last century. In the past decades, we have seen a shift from the acid hydrolysis of starch to the use of starch-converting enzymes in the production of maltodextrin,...