Fermented, ropy, oat-based products reduce cholesterol levels and stimulate the bifidobacteria flora in humans

Mårtensson, Olof; Biörklund, Maria; Lambo, Adele Mbou; Dueñas-Chasco, Maite; Irastorza, Ana; Holst, Olle; Norin, Elisabeth; Welling, Gjalt; Öste, Rickard; Önning, Gunilla

doi:10.1016/j.nutres.2005.03.004

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Volume 25, Issue 5 , Pages 429-442, May 2005

Fermented, ropy, oat-based products reduce cholesterol levels and stimulate the bifidobacteria flora in humans

Olof Mårtensson
- Ceba Foods, 223 63 Lund, Sweden
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +46 46 19 13 10; fax: +46 46 14 41 12.
Maria Biörklund
- Biomedical Nutrition, Center for Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lund University, P.O. Box 124, SE-22100 Lund, Sweden
Adele Mbou Lambo
- Department of Applied Nutrition and Food Chemistry, Center for Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lund University, P.O. Box 124, SE-22100 Lund, Sweden
Maite Dueñas-Chasco
- Departemento de Quimica Aplicada, Universidad de Pais Vasco, P.O. Box 1072 San Sebastián, San Sebastián, Spain
Ana Irastorza
- Departemento de Quimica Aplicada, Universidad de Pais Vasco, P.O. Box 1072 San Sebastián, San Sebastián, Spain
Olle Holst
- Department of Biotechnology, Center for Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lund University, P.O. Box 124, SE-22100 Lund, Sweden
Elisabeth Norin
- Karolinska Institute, Microbiology and Tumor Biology Center, Stockholm, Sweden
Gjalt Welling
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Groningen, GZ Groningen, The Netherlands
Rickard Öste
- Department of Applied Nutrition and Food Chemistry, Center for Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lund University, P.O. Box 124, SE-22100 Lund, Sweden
Gunilla Önning
- Biomedical Nutrition, Center for Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lund University, P.O. Box 124, SE-22100 Lund, Sweden

Received 7 November 2004; received in revised form 19 February 2005; accepted 29 March 2005.

Abstract

This investigation determined the effects of fermented oat-based products containing both native and microbial β-glucans on plasma lipids and on fecal total bacterial count and Bifidobacterium ssp. The study was randomized, double blind with 3 parallel groups. Sixty-two free-living volunteers with moderately increased plasma cholesterol levels were recruited. In the final analysis, 56 subjects remained, as 6 subjects had left the study either due to lack of time (n = 2), unwillingness to continue the regimen (n = 2), or for other reasons (n = 2). During the first 3 weeks, all subjects received a fermented dairy-based product (control product, run-in period). On the following 5 weeks, 1 group continued with the control product, whereas the other 2 groups were given fermented oat-based products (intervention period, 3-3.5 g native β-glucans per day). One of the oat products (ropy) was cofermented with an exopolysaccharide-producing strain, Pediococcus damnosus 2.6. A significant (P = .022) reduction in total cholesterol by 6% was observed in volunteers who had eaten the fermented, ropy, oat-based product compared with the control group. No other significant changes in plasma lipids were found. A significant increase in total bacterial count (P = .001) and Bifidobacterium ssp (P = .012) was observed in fecal samples from volunteers in the group who had eaten the fermented, ropy, oat-based product. This study shows that a fermented, ropy, oat-based product, containing both native and microbial glucans, can reduce the blood cholesterol level and also stimulate the bifidobacteria flora in the gastrointestinal tract.

Keywords: Exopolysaccharides, Oats, Nondairy, Cholesterol, Pediococcus damnosus 2.6, Prebiotic