In-vitro dynamic fermentation simulation colon reactor for gut microbiota incubation

Abstract

Nowadays, research on the influence of food nutrition and medicine on the metabolism and diversity of the human gut microbiota is of considerable interest. In this study, a new in-vitro simulation colon reactor (SCR), an important tool for simulating the colon conditions of the human body, was designed to evaluate food function. The key parameters of crush evaluation, peristaltic patterns, anaerobic and parthenogenic aerobic bacterial growth, and fecal microbiota colonization were analyzed and compared with those of static reactor to evaluate colonization and the effectiveness of the new bioreactor. The results prove that SCR has a better ability to break up semisolids, and it could be used to simulate the digestion of semisolid foods. It could also successfully simulate two classical human gut peristaltic patterns, with the intestinal pressure reaching 60–90 (peristaltic frequency, six per min) and 100–150 mmHg (peristaltic frequency, 10 per min). SCR is suitable for fermentation colonization culture of Akkermansia muciniphila, Bifidobacteria, and fecal microbiota. The gut microbiota could be maintained in a healthy and stable growth state throughout the fermentation process. SCR could also increase the productivity of gut microbiota, and it has a good effect on fecal colonization. This study provides a novel and valuable tool for evaluating the structure and function of the gut microbiota.