Location: Small Grain and Food Crops Quality Research
Project Number: 3060-21650-002-005-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Sep 1, 2019
End Date: Aug 31, 2024
Objective:
Objectives for the life of the project will be to: (1) investigate the influence of the botanical origin of resistant starch from different pulses, processing steps, and dietary history using in vitro fecal fermentation studies to measure microbial diversity and butyrate production and (2) investigate the influence of the botanical origin of resistant starch from different pulses, processing steps, and dietary history using defined microbial fermentations to measure microbial diversity and butyrate production.
Approach:
We will examine the resistant starch from three pulses: chickpeas, green lentils and dry peas to get a broad picture of the impact of different pulse starches on the gut microbiome and the potential for positive human health outcomes. We will also look at two types of processing, isolation of starch fractions and sprouting of the pulses. Additionally, we will examine differences in microbiome responses between individuals that habitually consume pulses and those who rarely consume these products. To test such a broad range of parameters we will use an in vitro fermentation system with fecal samples from 20 individuals, 10 who habitually consume pulses and 10 who rarely consume these foods. We will measure changes in organic acid production and microbial community composition. Finally, we will perform fermentations with defined communities to investigate the differences in pulse starch processing in a simpler system, in order to gain a deeper understanding of important factors governing their utilization by the gut microbiome.
