In vitro fermentation characteristics of blueberry anthocyanins and their impacts on gut microbiota from obese human

Abstract

It has been demonstrated that the gut microbiota may play an important intermediary role in anthocyanins’ beneficial impacts on obesity. However, the microbe-related anti-obesity mechanism of blueberry anthocyanins remains unclear. In this study, the interactions between blueberry anthocyanin extracts (BAE) and gut microbiota from obese humans were explored using an in vitro fermentation model. Due to hydrolysis and metabolism by the microbiota, the contents of blueberry anthocyanins are reduced during fermentation. It was demonstrated that both aglycones and glycosides affected the degradation rate. The microbial composition evaluation revealed that BAE could alleviate obesity by promoting the colonization of probiotics such as Lachnospiraceae_UCG-004 and Bacteroides, as well as inhibiting the proliferation of harmful bacteria including Escherichia-Shigella, Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1, and Klebsiella. Blueberry anthocyanin extracts facilitate the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which is beneficial for obesity control. The relationship between blueberry anthocyanins, gut microbiota, and SCFAs was further investigated. Overall, this data provides new insights into the positive interaction between blueberry anthocyanins and gut microbiota in obese humans.