Effects of a wheat bran extract containing arabinoxylan oligosaccharides on gastrointestinal health parameters in healthy adult human volunteers : a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, cross-over trial

Wheat bran extract (WBE) is a food-grade soluble fibre preparation that is highly enriched in arabinoxylan oligosaccharides. In this placebo-controlled cross-over human intervention trial, tolerance and effects on colonic protein and carbohydrate fermentation were studied. After a 1-week run-in period, sixty-three healthy adult volunteers consumed 3, 10 and 0 g WBE/d for 3 weeks in a random order, with 2 weeks' washout between each treatment period. Fasting blood samples were collected at the end of the run-in period and at the end of each treatment period for analysis of haematological and clinical chemistry parameters. Additionally, subjects collected a stool sample for analysis of microbiota, SCFA and pH. A urine sample, collected over 48 h, was used for analysis of p-cresol and phenol content. Finally, the subjects completed questionnaires scoring occurrence frequency and distress severity of eighteen gastrointestinal symptoms. Urinary p-cresol excretion was significantly decreased after WBE consumption at 10 g/d. Faecal bifidobacteria levels were significantly increased after daily intake of 10 g WBE. Additionally, WBE intake at 10 g/d increased faecal SCFA concentrations and lowered faecal pH, indicating increased colonic fermentation of WBE into desired metabolites. At 10 g/d, WBE caused a mild increase in flatulence occurrence frequency and distress severity and a tendency for a mild decrease in constipation occurrence frequency. In conclusion, WBE is well tolerated at doses up to 10 g/d in healthy adults volunteers. Intake of 10 g WBE/d exerts beneficial effects on gut health parameters

Tolerance and the effect of high doses of wheat bran extract, containing arabinoxylan-oligosaccharides, and oligofructose on faecal output: a double- blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, cross-over trial

Wheat bran extract (WBE) is a food-grade soluble fibre preparation that is highly enriched in arabinoxylan-oligosaccharides. In this placebo-controlled cross-over human intervention trial, tolerance to WBE as well as the effects of WBE on faecal parameters, including faecal output and bowel habits, were studied. After a 2-week run-in period, twenty healthy volunteers consumed WBE (15 g/d in the first week, 30 g/d in the second week), oligofructose (15 g/d in the first week, 30 g/d in the second week) and placebo (for 2 weeks) in a random order, with 2-week washout periods between each treatment period. Subjects collected a 72 h stool sample for analysis of faecal output, stool pH and stool moisture concentration. Additionally, the volunteers completed questionnaires scoring occurrence frequency and distress severity of eighteen gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms. An overall GI symptom measure was calculated to analyse the overall effect of WBE and oligofructose on GI symptoms. Intake of both 30 g/d WBE and 30 g/d oligofructose lowered stool pH, indicative of increased colonic fermentation, and increased stool moisture concentration as compared with placebo intake. Intake of 30 g/d oligofructose increased the overall GI symptom measure by 1·9-fold as compared with placebo intake. Intake of WBE at doses up to 30 g/d did not affect the overall GI symptom measure. WBE exerts beneficial effects on stool characteristics and is well tolerated at up to 30 g/d. Oligofructose exerts comparable beneficial effects on stool characteristics. However, intake of 30 g/d oligofructose appears to cause GI discomfort to some extent.status: publishe

Effect of milling on colour and nutritional properties of rice

Brown rice (long-grain variety Puntal) was abrasively milled (0-100 s) to various degrees of milling (DOM, 0-25%). The non-linear relationship between milling time and DOM indicated a variability in hardness within the different rice fractions. The hardness of the bran layers increased from outer to inner bran layers, while the different endosperm fractions were of comparable hardness. The colour parameters L*, a* and b* and extinction measurements of water-saturated butanol extracts of flour, from rice with different DOM, indicated that bran contained much more yellow and red pigment than endosperm. The levels of yellow and red pigment decreased from the surface of the brown rice to the middle endosperm (DOM = 15%). Once bran (DOM = 9%) and outer endosperm (additional DOM = 6%) were removed, the yellowness and redness of the middle endosperm of the raw rice remained constant, indicating that the pigments were uniformly distributed in the middle endosperm. Cooking of rice containing residual bran layers (DOM 9% resulted in products of constant brightness and redness but with yellowness which decreased as a function of DOM. Proteins, minerals and starch were not uniformly distributed in the brown rice kernel. The endosperm (DOM > 9%), contained most of the rice kernel proteins (84.2%), and proteins were mostly concentrated in the outer endosperm (9% < DOM < 15%). Bran (0% < DOM < 9%) contained most of the minerals (61.0%), and starch (84.6%) was concentrated in the core endosperm fraction (DOM 25%). (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.status: publishe

Effects of a Wheat Bran Extract Containing Arabinoxylan Oligosaccharides on Gastrointestinal Parameters in Healthy Preadolescent Children

OBJECTIVES: We assessed whether a wheat bran extract (WBE) containing arabinoxylan oligosaccharides (AXOS) elicited a prebiotic effect and modulated gastrointestinal parameters in healthy preadolescent children upon consumption in a beverage. METHODS: This double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover trial evaluated the effects of consuming WBE at 0 (control) or 5.0 g/day for 3 weeks in 29 healthy children (8-12 years). Faecal levels of microbiota, short-chain fatty acids, branched chain fatty acids, ammonia, moisture and faecal pH were assessed at the end of each treatment and at the end of a one-week run-in period. In addition, the subjects completed questionnaires scoring distress severity of 3 gastrointestinal symptoms. Finally, subjects recorded defecation frequency as well as stool consistency. RESULTS: Nominal faecal bifidobacteria levels tended to increase after 5 g/day WBE consumption (P = 0.069), whereas bifidobacteria expressed as percentage of total faecal microbiota was significantly higher upon 5 g/day WBE intake (P = 0.002). Additionally, 5 g/day WBE intake induced a significant decrease in faecal content of isobutyric acid and isovaleric acid (P  0.1). CONCLUSIONS: WBE is well tolerated at doses up 5 g/day in healthy children. In addition, intake of 5 g/day exerts beneficial effects on gut parameters, in particular increase of faecal bifidobacteria levels relative to total faecal microbiota, and reduction of colonic protein fermentation.status: publishe

Effects of wheat bran extract containing arabinoxylan oligosaccharides on gastrointestinal parameters in healthy preadolescent children

Objectives: We assessed whether wheat bran extract (WBE) containing arabinoxylan-oligosaccharides (AXOS) elicited a prebiotic effect and modulated gastrointestinal (GI) parameters in healthy preadolescent children upon consumption in a beverage. Methods: This double-blind randomized placebo-controlled crossover trial evaluated the effects of consuming WBE at 0 (control) or 5.0 g/day for 3 weeks in 29 healthy children (8-12 years). Fecal levels of microbiota, short-chain fatty acids, branched-chain fatty acids, ammonia, moisture, and fecal pH were assessed at the end of each treatment and at the end of a 1-week run-in (RI) period. In addition, the subjects completed questionnaires scoring distress severity of 3 surveyed GI symptoms. Finally, subjects recorded defecation frequency and stool consistency. Results: Nominal fecal bifidobacteria levels tended to increase after 5 g/day WBE consumption (P = 0.069), whereas bifidobacteria expressed as percentage of total fecal microbiota was significantly higher upon 5 g/day WBE intake (P = 0.002). Additionally, 5 g/day WBE intake induced a significant decrease in fecal content of isobutyric acid and isovaleric acid (P 0.1). Conclusions: WBE is well tolerated at doses up to 5 g/day in healthy preadolescent children. In addition, the intake of 5 g/day exerts beneficial effects on gut parameters, in particular an increase in fecal bifidobacteria levels relative to total fecal microbiota, and reduction of colonic protein fermentation

Effects of a wheat bran extract containing arabinoxylan oligosaccharides on gastrointestinal health parameters in healthy adult human volunteers: a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, cross-over trial

Wheat bran extract (WBE) is a food-grade soluble fibre preparation that is highly enriched in arabinoxylan oligosaccharides. In this placebo-controlled cross-over human intervention trial, tolerance and effects on colonic protein and carbohydrate fermentation were studied. After a 1-week run-in period, sixty-three healthy adult volunteers consumed 3, 10 and 0 g WBE/d for 3 weeks in a random order, with 2 weeks' washout between each treatment period. Fasting blood samples were collected at the end of the run-in period and at the end of each treatment period for analysis of haematological and clinical chemistry parameters. Additionally, subjects collected a stool sample for analysis of microbiota, SCFA and pH. A urine sample, collected over 48 h, was used for analysis of p-cresol and phenol content. Finally, the subjects completed questionnaires scoring occurrence frequency and distress severity of eighteen gastrointestinal symptoms. Urinary p-cresol excretion was significantly decreased after WBE consumption at 10 g/d. Faecal bifidobacteria levels were significantly increased after daily intake of 10 g WBE. Additionally, WBE intake at 10 g/d increased faecal SCFA concentrations and lowered faecal pH, indicating increased colonic fermentation of WBE into desired metabolites. At 10 g/d, WBE caused a mild increase in flatulence occurrence frequency and distress severity and a tendency for a mild decrease in constipation occurrence frequency. In conclusion, WBE is well tolerated at doses up to 10 g/d in healthy adults volunteers. Intake of 10 g WBE/d exerts beneficial effects on gut health parameters.status: publishe