Fructooligosaccharide intake promotes epigenetic changes in the intestinal mucosa in growing and ageing rats.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between fructooligosaccharide (FOS) intake at different life stages of Wistar rats and its stimulatory effects on intestinal parameters.

Methods: Recently weaned and ageing female rats were divided into growing and ageing treatments, which were fed diets that partially replaced sucrose with FOS for 12 weeks.

Results: Dietary FOS intake induced a significant increase in the numbers of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus in growing rats.

Pouteria ramiflora extract inhibits salivary amylolytic activity and decreases glycemic level in mice.

In this study, extracts of plant species from the Cerrado biome were assessed in order to find potential inhibitors of human salivary alpha-amylase. The plants were collected and extracts were obtained from leaves, bark, and roots. We performed a preliminary phytochemical analysis and a screening for salivar alpha-amylase inhibitory activity.

Determination of short-chain fatty acids in dietary fiber extracts using ion-exclusion chromatography with suppressed conductivity detection.

A new chromatographic method for the sequential determination of short-chain fatty acids is described. Acetic, propionic and butyric acids were determined in dietary fiber extracts using ion-exclusion chromatography equipped with inverse chemical suppression and conductivity detection. The best optimization of the chromatographic conditions were achieved when a 100 mm x 7.