Publication:
Effects of Whole-Grain and Sugar Content in Infant Cereals on Gut Microbiota at Weaning: A Randomized Trial

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Date

2021-04-28

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Plaza-Diaz, Julio
Bernal, Maria Jose
Schutte, Sophie
Chenoll, Empar
Genovés, Salvador
Codoñer, Francisco M.
Gil, Angel
Sanchez-Siles, Luis Manuel

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MDPI
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Abstract

The introduction of complementary foods during infancy marks an important step in the development of the infant gut microbiome. Infant cereals are popular weaning foods but consistent evidence on their effect on the intestinal microbiota, especially when differing in nutritional quality, is lacking. Fecal samples from 4-7-month-old Spanish infants who consumed infant cereals differing in whole grain and sugar content as first weaning foods were analyzed on changes in microbial composition by massively parallel sequencing of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene at baseline and after 7 weeks of intervention. Samples were obtained from a previous trial conducted in Spain demonstrating whole-grain cereal acceptability. In total, samples of 18 infants consuming 0% whole grain cereals with 24 g sugar (0-WG) and 25 infants consuming 50% whole grain cereals with 12 g sugar (50-WG) were analyzed. Microbial composition changed significantly over time (p = 0.001), per intervention group (p = 0.029) and per infant (p = 0.001). Abundance of genus Veillonella increased in both groups while Enterococcus decreased. Within the 0-WG group, phylum Actinobacteria decreased along with genus Bifidobacterium. In the 50-WG, we observed an increase in Lachnoclostridium and Bacteroides. In addition, 50-WG decreased Proteobacteria and Escherichia to levels lower than 0-WG. Although weaning itself appeared to be responsible for most changes, the increased presence of anaerobic fermenters together with inhibition of pathogenic Escherichia may indicate a supporting effect of infant cereals with 50% whole grains and a reduced sugar content over infant cereals manufactured with refined hydrolyzed flours on the infant microbiota. In fact, using a novel methodology for the identification of microbial signatures, we found two groups of microbial taxa predictive of infants consuming enriched whole-grain infant cereals with a high predictive value of about 93%.

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Medical Subject Headings::Chemicals and Drugs::Carbohydrates::Sugar Phosphates
Medical Subject Headings::Check Tags::Female
Medical Subject Headings::Organisms::Eukaryota::Animals::Chordata::Vertebrates::Mammals::Primates::Haplorhini::Catarrhini::Hominidae::Humans
Medical Subject Headings::Persons::Persons::Age Groups::Infant
Medical Subject Headings::Technology and Food and Beverages::Food and Beverages::Food::Foods, Specialized::Infant Food
Medical Subject Headings::Check Tags::Male
Medical Subject Headings::Geographical Locations::Geographic Locations::Europe::Spain
Medical Subject Headings::Phenomena and Processes::Physiological Phenomena::Nutritional Physiological Phenomena::Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena::Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena::Weaning
Medical Subject Headings::Publication Type::Study Characteristics::Clinical Trial::Randomized Controlled Trial
Medical Subject Headings::Phenomena and Processes::Physiological Phenomena::Nutritional Physiological Phenomena::Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena::Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena::Weaning
Medical Subject Headings::Phenomena and Processes::Microbiological Phenomena::Microbiota

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Infant cereals, Infant food, Whole grains, Complementary feeding, Intestinal microbiota, Grano comestible, Alimentos para lactantes, Cereales integrales, Fenómenos fisiológicos nutricionales del lactante, Microbioma gastrointestinal, Ensayo clínico controlado aleatorio, Destete, Microbiota

Citation

Plaza-Diaz J, Bernal MJ, Schutte S, Chenoll E, Genovés S, Codoñer FM, et al. Effects of Whole-Grain and Sugar Content in Infant Cereals on Gut Microbiota at Weaning: A Randomized Trial. Nutrients. 2021 Apr 28;13(5):1496