Influence of resistant starch on the SCFA production and cell counts of butyrate-producingEubacteriumspp. in the human intestine

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Abstract
Aims: The genus Eubacterium, which is the second most common genus in the human intestine, includes several known butyrate producers. We hypothesized that Eubacterium species play a role in the intestinal butyrate production and are inducible by resistant starch. Methods and Results: In a human pilot study species‐specific and group‐specific 16S rRNA‐targeted, Cy3 (indocarbocyanine)‐labelled oligonucleotide probes were used to quantify butyrogenic species of the genera Eubacterium, Clostridium and Ruminococcus. Following the intake of RS type III a significant increase in faecal butyrate but not in total SCFA was observed. However, increase in butyrate was not accompanied by a proliferation in the targeted bacteria. Conclusions: The tested Eubacterium species have the capacity to produce butyrate but do not appear to play a major role for butyric acid production in the human intestine. Significance and Impact of the Study: In view of the fact that the bacteria responsible for butyrate production are largely unknown, it is still difficult to devise a dietary intervention to stimulate butyrogenic bacteria in a targeted way.