Quality characteristics of yogurts fermented with short-chain fatty acid-producing probiotics and their effects on mucin production and probiotic adhesion onto human colon epithelial cells

Probiotics can ferment nondigestible carbohydrates and produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFA; acetate, propionate, butyrate) in the human colon. In this study, levels of SCFA were determined following yogurts fermented with different combinations probiotics: (1) cocultures Streptococcus thermophilus Lactobacillus bulgaricus (control, C); (2) S. thermophilus, L. bulgaricus, Bifidobacterium bifidum (C-Bb); (3) acidophilus (C-La); (4) gasseri (C-Lg). Results showed that acetate significantly higher C-Bb, C-La, C-Lg than C yogurt. Fermentation physicochemical characteristics all identical. Treatment mucus-secreting colon epithelial cells (HT29-MTX) yogurt supernatants resulted an increase expression MUC2 CDX2 production mucin proteins. The adhesion probiotics onto HT29-MTX increased treatment supernatants. Our data suggest a diet rich improves protective function intestinal epithelium.