Nitrogen prediction model in smallholder farming system integrating pig and fish farming in the urban and rural areas of Kinshasa

peer reviewedThe modelling of nitrogen flow within integrated farms in aquaculture allows monitoring of the nitrogen evolution, which is one of the limiting elements in the farm production. This is one of the important ways to improve production in small integrated agricultural farms in rural and peri-urban areas of Kinshasa with limited financial resources. The model is built in order to use the nitrogen produced by the pig for fertilizing fish farming ponds. The pig module was calibrated, validated and ready to be used, contrary to the fish module which is not validated due to the lack of appropriate experience data. Result of pig module prediction, gives the cumulative N amount of the fattening period to 861.85 gN/pig for fecal nitrogen and 765.39 for urinary production very close to the measured value of 988.68 gN/pig and 887.55 gN/pig for N fecal and N urinary. The model shows that the variation in feed content leads to the variation in the N fecal and urinary production to the farm. Combined to the N from pig, N water in the fish pond is sensitive to N from pig addition and fish biomass. Change in factors that affect pig consumption and pig growing performance lead a variation in both N production by a pig and N water evolution in the pond water column

Effect of cooking on the fiber profile of some tropical vegetables

Outre le monde occidental, les pays africains dont la population a souffert de malnutrition intra-utérine sont également exposés au fléau de l’obésité à l’âge adulte en raison d’effets de programmation de long terme induits par les carences dans le jeune âge. La consommation de fibres alimentaires (DF) demeure indispensable pour la modulation du microbiote intestinal afin de prévenir cette maladie et les pathologies associées. Les légumes et les fruits sont des principales sources naturelles de DF. . En Afrique tropicale humide et sub-humide, les légumes feuilles sont fortement consommés par les populations rurales, tandis que les populations urbaines modifient leur régime alimentaire en l’ « occidentalisant ». Afin de mieux comprendre comment les changements alimentaires modifient les modes de consommation des fibres alimentaires, face à la déficience d’information dans la littérature à ce sujet, il convient de caractériser le profil en fibres de légumes méconnus et l’impact de la cuisson sur celui-ci

Le profil en fibres alimentaires de légume modifie leur fermentation intestinale et la production d’acides gras à chaine courte dans modèle in vitro humain

La modulation du microbiote intestinal induite par les fibres alimentaires (DF)a des conséquences positives sur la santé, notamment sur l’obésité et ses comorbidités. La nature et l’ampleur des changements dépendent du type de fibres.Les légumes sont des sources privilégiées de DF, certaines espèces et variétés fournissant davantage de DF solubles (SDF), d’autres étant plus riches en DF insolubles (IDF). Contrairement aux SDF, les IDF sont souvent considérées comme peu fermentescibles, ne contribuant que faiblement à une modulation de l’écophysiologie intestinale. En opposition à cette hypothèse, pour explorer si l’impact potentiel sur la santé intestinale des légumes varie suivant leur nature, des légumes présentant des teneurs et des profils en DF différents ont été comparés dans un modèle in vitro de fermentation colique

Impact of cooking and species on intestinal fermentation patterns of vegetables in a humanized in vitro model of the gastro-intestinal tract

Obesity and associated pathologies have dramatic consequences on patients’lives as well as high societal costs. Because of the role of intestinal dysbiosis and microbiota make-up on the pathogenesis of obesity, several strategies such as eating prebiotics and dietary fibre supplements are being investigated to reshape the intestinal microbial communities of obese patients. Beyond supplement, dietary fibre is supplied through plant ingredients in the meals. In the framework of the multidisciplinary research project Food4Gut, the use of vegetables rich in specific targeted dietary fiber, namely fructans, is being scrutinized for its ability to induce positive changes in the intestinal ecophysiology. Because expected effect might differ according the content in dietary fibre and fructans, the soluble:insoluble ratio, as well as the cooking of the vegetables, the fermentation patterns of several vegetables are being investigated in an dual in vitro model combining enzymatic hydrolysis to an in vitro fermentation step using faecal inoculums from humans, to evaluate the performance of gut microbiota, modulation of metabolic functions. Six vegetables were sampled in triplicates (N=3) and steamed for 20 to 30 min.: Jerusalem artichoke, salsify, asparagus, pumpkin, fennel and swede. They were chosen because they display a variety of contents in fructans, soluble (SDF) and insoluble dietaryfibre (IDF). Steamed vegetable samplesand burgers from local fast food restaurants (negative control) were hydrolyzed in vitro why porcine pepsin and pancreatin to mimic digestion in the upper gut and indigested fiber residues were recover using a 6kDa dialysis membrane.Subsequently, in vitro fermentation is being run with independent fecal inoculums from obese and lean patients (N=4). Fermentation kinetics over 24h as well as short-chain fatty acid production and profiles will be compared according to the individual donor and the vegetable species and multivariate analysis will be used to explore the relationships between donor, vegetable species and composition and fermentation patterns.Projet Food4 gu

Characterization of fructans and dietary fibre profiles in raw and steamed vegetables

peer reviewedaudience: researcher, professionalDietary fiber (DF) has many positive effects on human health associated with its functionality in the gastrointestinal tract. These benefits vary according to the type of DF. Vegetables can be a natural source of DF in the diet. However, to provide adequate nutritional advice, the content and profile of their various DF types must be characterized. This study aimed to determine the DF profile of 29 vegetables cultivated in Wallonia (Belgium) and the impact of steaming on these profiles. Using a combination of enzymatic, gravimetric and chromatographic methods, fructans, total dietary fiber (TDF), low- and high-molecular-weight soluble dietary fiber (SDF), and insoluble dietary fiber (IDF) were analyzed. Results show that the DF content varies considerably among the 29 investigated vegetable varieties and species, but the influence of steaming is limited to a shift from IDF to high-molecular-weight SDF for 18 of the 29 tested vegetables, while fructans are preserved with not actual reduction in the DP.Food4Gu

Interest of profiling the gut microbiota to evaluate the effect of dietary inulin on obesity-related metabolic disorders in humans: the FOOD4GUT intervention study

peer reviewedaudience: researcher, professionalRationale: In the context of increased obesity rates in Europe, we launched the multidisciplinary project FOOD4GUT (funded by the Excellence Program of the Walloon Region, Belgium) which proposes an innovative nutritional approach – food and supplement intervention to increase inulin prebiotic intake – to control obesity and related metabolic disorders. We aim to examine whether a shift in the gut microbiota composition by prebiotic improves the obese phenotype. Methods: Placebo-controlled parallel study including 150 obese subjects (BMI > 30 kg ·m−2; 18– 65 years, recruited in three university hospitals in Belgium), with at least one of the following criteria: (pre-)diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and/or liver steatosis. The participants were randomly assigned to receive either 16 g/day of inulin (fibruline, Cosucra) or placebo (maltodextrin, Cargill) with dietary advice to increaseor not the consumption of vegetables rich in inulin type fructans intake for 3 months. Results: Recipes containing high amounts (around 15 g/day) of inulin were validated prior the start of the trial. So far, 31 patients were recruited in the St-Luc-UCL Hospital (age 51 ± 1.9; BMI 34.9 ± 0.8 kg/m2). The gut microbiota analysis before the intervention revealed that patients exhibiting a higher level of Bifidobacterium and Faecalibacterium, are associated with a low level of Lactobacillus, Blautia and Akkermansia muciniphila. Some bacteria such as Bilophila arenot discriminant. Conclusion: The first outcome data will be collected in May 2017, including blood parameters, anthropometric measurements, fibroscan and abdominal CT-scan. We expect differential biological response to the dietary intervention in view of the patient’s initial microbial profile. The results will be presented for the first time in the ESPEN congress in September 2017.Food4Gu

In vitro approach to evaluate the fermentation pattern of inulin-rich food in obese individuals.

peer reviewedAlterations of the gut microbiome have been associated with obesity and metabolic disorders. The gut microbiota can be influenced by the intake of dietary fibres with prebiotic properties, such as inulin-type fructans. This study tested the hypothesis that obese individuals subjected for 12 weeks to a inulin-enriched versus inulin-poor diet have differential faecal fermentation patterns. The fermentation of cellulose and inulin hydrolysates, of six different inulin-rich and inulin-poor vegetables of both groups was analysed in vitro on faecal inocula. The results showed that the microbiota from obese patients who received fructan-rich diet for three weeks produce more gas and total short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) compared to the microbiota taken of the same individuals before the treatment. Obese individuals fed with a low-fructan diet produce less gas and less SCFA compared to the treated group. This study highlighted profound changes in microbiota fermentation capacity obtained by prebiotic intervention in obese individuals, which favors the production of specific bioactive metabolites