Exopolysaccharides from a Scandinavian fermented milk viili increase butyric acid and Muribaculum members in the mouse gut

• Published in: Food chemistry. Molecular sciences 2021-12, Vol.3, p.100042-100042, Article 100042
• Main Authors: Yamane, Takuya, Handa, Satoshi, Imai, Momoko, Harada, Naoki, Sakamoto, Tatsuji, Ishida, Tetsuo, Nakagaki, Takenori, Nakano, Yoshihisa
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Butylic acid; Exopolysaccharide; Intestinal microflora; Muribaculum; Viili
• ISSN: 2666-5662; 2666-5662
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fochms.2021.100042

•Bioactivity of viili exopolysaccharide (VEPS) were determined in young male mice.•Mice drank daily tap water supplemented with VEPS, stressless administration.•A low dose VEPS modified mildly but significantly the gut microbiota. Starter culture of viili contains lactic acid bacteria belonging to Lactococcus lactis. These bacteria secrete large polysaccharides (EPSs) into milk, resulting in a ropy texture of viili. In mouse experiments, a large dose of EPS (5–140 mg/day) has been shown to alleviate severity of artificially induced illness through modulation of the gut microbiota. The present study investigated whether supplementary amounts of EPS affects the gut microbiota of normal mouse. EPS with high glucosamine content (VEPS) was isolated from home-made viili. C57BL/6J male mice fed ordinary diet took 49 ± 1 μg VEPS/day for 28 days by drinking ad libitum tap water containing 8 μg/mL VEPS. The relative abundance of Muribaculum increased significantly by VEPS supplementation. The relative abundance of fecal butyric acid decreased in control mice, and VEPS prevented this decrease. These findings indicated that the gut microbiota can be modulated by a small dose of VEPS.