Apple Pomace and Performance, Intestinal Morphology and Microbiota of Weaned Piglets-A Weaning Strategy for Gut Health?

Apple pomace (AP) is known to be rich in biomolecules beneficial for health and it may advantageously be used to overcome the critical step of piglets' weaning. The study aimed to determine the effect of two levels of incorporation of AP on the performance, intestinal morphology, and microbiota of weaned piglets and investigate this feed ingredient as a weaning strategy. An experiment was performed with 42 piglets from weaning (28 days old) over a five-week period, including three iso-energetic and iso-nitrogenous diets (0%, 2%, and 4% dried AP diets) with seven pen-repetitions per diet (two pigs per pen).

Oxygen as a key parameter in in vitro dynamic and multi-compartment models to improve microbiome studies of the small intestine?

In vitro digestion and fermentation models are frequently used for human and animal research purposes. Different dynamic and multi-compartment models exist, but none have been validated with representative microbiota in the distal parts of the small intestine. We recently developed a dynamic and multi-compartment piglet model introducing microbiota in an ileum bioreactor.

Baby-SPIME: A dynamic in vitro piglet model mimicking gut microbiota during the weaning process.

The study aimed to adapt the SHIME® model, developed to simulate human digestion and fermentation, to a baby-SPIME (baby Simulator of Pig Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem). What constitutes a unique feature of this model is its twofold objective of introducing an ileal microbial community and mimicking a dietary weaning transition. This model should then be ideally suited to test the dietary weaning strategies of piglets in vitro.

Development of an analytical method to detect short-chain fatty acids by SPME-GC-MS in samples coming from an in vitro gastrointestinal model.

Short chain fatty acids (SCFA) are end-products of intestinal bacterial fermentation. The concentrations of fermentation metabolites are closely related to the microbial activity that occurs in various digestive compartments. The fermentation products may vary qualitatively and quantitatively, especially within the colon.