| Abstract: | The major actions of undigested carbohydrates, such as non-starch polysaccharides and resistant starch, on the physiology of man are related to colonic fermentation. It is very difficult to study fermentation in vivo . In vitro models are often used but these models differ in almost every aspect even when only the simplest batch cultures of human faeces are considered. Factors such as composition of the medium, buffering capacity, inoculum concentration, and fermentation time vary considerably making direct comparison of the results from different studies impossible. The authors have devised a standard in vitro fermentation method for resistant starch and tested it in eight laboratories with a total of 40 individual faecal inocula. This simple method was well received and taking biological variation into account yielded comparable results for 24 h short chain fatty acid production and residual starch in all but one laboratory. |
