Sensus examines breath to measure inulin’s gut fermentation in €1M collab

18 Jun 2021 --- Sensus is partnering with Dutch research institutes to measure real-time microbial fermentation via the breath. The data will reveal the interplay between food, gut health and environmental factors.

Specifically, the project aims to give Sensus more information about the fermentation of its Frutafit chicory inulin.

“To date, it is not yet possible to study continuous real-time microbial fermentation in humans, which limits the development and testing of new products and intervention strategies,” Dr. Veerle Dam, health science and regulatory affairs specialist at Sensus, tells NutritionInsight.

“Steering the fermentation toward products beneficial for the gut, metabolic health and mental health through prebiotics, for example, would lead to more effective prevention and treatment of disease.”

Research with multiple applications
For the first time, this type of research is being validated in humans to prospectively follow fermentation over longer periods of time.

The research is a collaborative project between scientists from Maastricht UMC+ and Maastricht University, Wageningen University and Research, Research Engineering (IDEE), Maastricht Instruments and Sensus, all Netherlands-based, and German inhalation toxicology specialists TSE Systems.

“We know that fermentation gases like methane, hydrogen and hydrogen sulfide are present in breath and may reflect fermentation,” Professor Dr. Ellen Blaak from the department of human biology at Maastricht University shares with NutritionInsight.

The method can investigate what impact diet, medication and exercise have on gut bacteria, metabolism and health. Moreover, the research could lead to a more effective and targeted prevention and treatment of chronic diseases, such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. 

The partners have received a subsidy of roughly €1 million (US$1.2 million) from the Human Measuring Models 2.0 program. They were awarded the funding having satisfied the criterion that their newly developed measurement model is relevant to multiple diseases.

Maastricht UMC+ predicts the new method may lead to beneficial food and lifestyle interventions to prevent various chronic diseases.Measuring gases
For the study, the researchers are expanding advanced respiration chambers into fermentation chambers, which are typically used to study metabolism and energy management in humans. 

Breathing gases are measured and analyzed in this exhaled air with highly sensitive sensors, which remains challenging, says Blaak. 

Gases that are subsequently released during the fermentation process, such as methane, hydrogen sulfide and hydrogen, are also measured.

Maastricht UMC+ explains each chamber forms a closed circuit: The test subject enters it and does not come out again for several days. Controlled fresh air from outside is introduced and air used by the test subject is extracted. 

Blaak assures there are no health risks involved with the research. Each chamber, or “small hotel room,” is fully equipped with a bed, TV, internet and sanitation facilities. 

Chicory fiber top of mind
Industry and academia are increasingly gathering scientific evidence of how a healthy microbiome is responsible for overall health. 

“A wealth of human studies show that an increase in bifidobacteria can be achieved by increasing intake of prebiotics, in particular chicory inulin and oligofructose and thereby support a healthy gut microbiome,” Dam emphasizes.

Dam notes the impact of chicory inulin on the gut microbiome is associated with improved bowel habit, immunity and possibly even mental health.“This is essential for our health, since recent evidence shows that the impact of chicory inulin and oligofructose on the gut microbiome is associated with improved bowel habit, immunity and possibly even mental health.”

This year, Sensus will begin expanding its prebiotic chicory inulin production to meet gut and immune health demand exacerbated by the pandemic.

In NutritionInsight roundtables, Sensus experts previously shared prebiotic applications in supplements and functional foods as well as the most influential trends in the inner well-being space.

Non-invasive technologies
Sensus maintains that measuring the gut fermentation process is notoriously difficult. In turn, researching the breath could lead to a non-invasive alternative method to standard measurements. 

Other companies to research in the breath-metabolism link are Lumen and FoodMarble. Lumen is a handheld, portable device and app that measures users’ metabolism in real-time. The system measures a person’s breathing to reveal how efficiently their body is optimizing fats and carbs.

Also, FoodMarble produces a portable breath test and app to measure and track digestive health. FoodMarble’s pocket-sized breath analysis device brings personalization to the mass market and combines digestive health research with sensor and mobile technology.

Some further examples of non-invasive microbiome sampling methods include pills that are self-polymerizing and gas-sensing.

By Anni Schleicher