Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, an extremely anaerobic symbiont and a major butyrate producer in the human gut, shows great potential for promoting host health. Recently, mounting evidence highlights the beneficial effects of dietary fiber selectively degraded by the gut microbiota for maintaining host health. Notably, studies have demonstrated that dietary fiber targeted to F. prausnitzii is emerging as a significant approach to improving host health, while their relationship needs to be further clarified. Here, we summarize the molecular mechanism of dietary fiber degradation by F. prausnitzii, followed by an analysis of how dietary fiber-targeted enrichment of F. prausnitzii influences host health. Furthermore, we discuss the roles and potential mechanisms of F. prausnitzii in host health. The present review provides new insights into microbiome-based therapeutic interventions and the development of dietary fiber-based treatments.

Guar gum, a widely used food hydrocolloid, exhibits extensive biological activities and its regulatory effects on the gut microbiota are closely linked to health outcomes. However, its specific enrichment effects on gut microbiota and the interaction modes with the enriched bacteria remain unclear. This study investigated the regulatory effects using an in vitro fermentation model and both single-step and stepwise cultivation methods. Results showed that the gut microbiota degraded guar gum, yielding abundant acetate and propionate. Guar gum suppressed the growth of the potential pathogenic bacteria (Enterobacteriaceae) while enriching the beneficial bacteria (Bifidobacterium and Parabacteroides). Notably, B. pseudolongum and P. distasonis were specifically enriched, although neither could directly utilize guar gum. The primary degrader, such as Bacteroides ovatus, facilitated guar gum breakdown and stimulated the proliferation of B. pseudolongum and P. distasonis. Further analysis revealed that the proliferation of these bacteria may be related to their preferences for utilizing mannose and galactose. Taken together, these findings enhance our understanding of the interactions between guar gum and the microbiota, and contribute to the scientific basis for developing guar gum-based functional foods.

Most scientific investigations regarding inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) pathogenesis or therapeutic strategies use dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced models performed on mice. However, differences between human and animal microbiota may confound the data reproducibility from rodent experiments to clinical trials. In this study, the intervention effects of Bifidobacterium longum NSP001 on DSS-induced colitis were investigated using mice colonized with either native or humanised microbiota. Disorders in disease activity index (DAI), morphology and histology of colon tissue, intestinal permeability, and secretion of MPO, TNF-α and IL-6 were ameliorated by daily intake of live B. longum NSP001 cells in both conventional and humanised colitis mice. But the abnormal thymus index, and colonic production of ZO-1 and iNOS were improved only in colitis mice treated with B. longum NSP001 and humanised microbiome. The accumulation of acetic acid and propionic acid in colon microbiome, and the optimization of primary bile acid biosynthesis and glycerophospholipid metabolism pathways in cecum commensals were likely to explain the beneficial effects of B. longum NSP001. These data revealed that intestinal microbiome baseline would possibly affect the manifestation features of interventions by probiotics or dietary components and highlighted the necessity to include humanised microbiome while investigating potential therapeutic strategies based on rodent models.

Polysaccharide was a class of macromolecular substance with various bioactive functions. Gut symbiotic microorganisms could utilize the polysaccharides from various sources, thus have important impact on human health. Bacteroides represented one of the dominant colonizers in the human gut. The utilization of polysaccharide by Bacteroides was important for supporting the function and stability of gut microbiota. After the degradation of polysaccharides by Bacteroides, gut microbes could ferment the monosaccharides and oligosaccharides degraded from polysaccharides into some metabolites, such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), amino acids, etc. Among the metabolites, the SCFAs could have beneficial effects on gut health. This review summarized the niches of Bacteroides among gut microbiota, and also described the gene clusters and membrane proteins involved in the utilization processes of polysaccharide by gut Bacteroides. SCFAs could act as energy substrates for intestinal epithelial cells, inhibit histone deacetylases and activate G protein-coupled receptors. In addition, the future perspectives in investigating new degradation pathways for polysaccharide, and using polysaccharides or their metabolites as therapeutic approaches for diseases mediated by the gut dysbiosis were also provided.

Furan (C₄H₄O) has been classified as a possible animal and human carcinogen by many international agencies. The formation of furan in three sugar–glycine models using glucose, fructose, and sucrose was investigated using headspace gas chromatography mass spectrometry method (HS-GC–MS) with various dual combinations of three important heat processing conditions, i.e. pH, temperature, and heating time. Results indicated that furan levels from sugar–glycine model systems during the thermal processing can be attributed to selective sugar types, pH, temperature, and heating time. In glucose–glycine and fructose–glycine system, the lowest furan level was detected in acid condition but in sucrose–glycine system furan formed significantly lower (P < 0.05) in acidic conditions the lowest furan level was found in alkaline conditions. The furan levels were observed to increase with heating time in all three model systems. Furthermore, less furan was generated in non-reducing sugar system (sucrose) than in reducing sugar system (glucose and fructose). Therefore, they demonstrate the possibility of limiting the formation of furan in heat processed foods by both the careful selection of carbohydrates (i.e. non-reducing sugars and reducing sugars) ingredients and appropriate processing conditions.