Consumption of Roasted Chick Peas Results in Increased Excretion of Oral Bacteria in Feces

Abstract

Dietary fibers, such as those contained in pulses, reach the large intestine and contribute to the maintenance of a healthy commensal microbiota. Targeted modification of microbiota composition and activities by increasing pulse consumption has potential for improving various health parameters. We performed a feeding study in human volunteers to determine how consumption of a minimum of five servings of roasted chick peas/week affects composition and activities of fecal microbiota. 12 adults were recruited from faculty, students and staff at the University of Florida to participate in a 14 day chick pea feeding study. Fecal samples were collected at baseline, during days 7–9 and on day 14 of the study period. Targeted qPCR showed no changes in proportions of Bifido bacteria and Lactic Acid Bacteria during the study. A comprehensive 16S rRNA sequence analysis showed no significant effects on overall microbiota diversity measures or changes in the proportions of bacterial phyla. However, we detected multiple bacterial signatures that changed in their prevalence after chick pea consumption. Among the bacterial signatures that increased during roasted chick pea consumption were two that match closest to oral plaque associated bacteria, Aggregatibacter and Campylobacter. Furthermore, a bacterial signature matching to butyrate producing Fusobacterium also increased during chick pea consumption. We conclude that, likely due to the abrasive nature of the roasted chick pea product, plague associated bacteria were removed from the oral cavity and recovered in feces. Future studies with softer chick pea preparations should confirm if our observation was indeed due to the abrasive nature of the roasted chick peas or other characteristics of the pulses. Also, the observed increase in potentially beneficial butyrate producers needs to be confirmed with other chick pea or pulse preparations.Support or Funding InformationUSA Dry Pea & Lentil Council