Effects of 2'‐fucosyllactose on the composition and metabolic activity of intestinal microbiota from piglets after in vitro fermentation

Abstract Background As indigestible carbohydrates, milk oligosaccharides possess various benefits for newborns, mainly through intestinal microbiota, among which 2'‐fucosyllactose (2'‐FL) is the most predominant milk oligosaccharide. However, knowledge about the fermentative characteristics of 2'‐FL in the gut remains limited, especially in the small intestine. The aim of this study is to explore the differential fermentability of 2'‐FL by the small and large intestinal microbiota of piglets using fructo‐oligosaccharide (FOS) and lactose as controls in an in vitro batch fermentation experiment. During fermentation, microbial composition was characterized along with gas production and short‐chain fatty acid production. Results 2'‐Fucosyllactose showed differential fermentability in jejunal and colonic fermentation. Compared with the colon, 2'‐FL produced less gas in the jejunum than in the FOS and lactose groups ( P < 0.05). Meanwhile, 2'‐FL exhibited a different influence on the microbial composition and metabolism in the jejunum and colon compared with FOS and lactose. In the jejunum, compared with the FOS and lactose groups, the 2'‐FL group showed a higher abundance of Bacteroides , Prevotella , and Blautia, but a lower abundance of Streptococcus and Lactobacillus ( P < 0.05), with a higher level of propionate and a lower level of lactate during fermentation ( P < 0.05). In the colon, compared with the FOS and lactose groups, 2'‐FL increased the abundance of Blautia , Faecalibacterium , and Lachnospiraceae FCS020, but decreased the abundance of Prevotella_9 , Succinivibrio , and Megasphaera ( P < 0.05) with an increase in acetate production ( P < 0.05). Conclusion Overall, the results suggested that the small intestinal microbiota had the potential to ferment milk oligosaccharides. Meanwhile, in comparison with FOS and lactose, 2′‐FL selectively stimulated the growth of propionate‐producing bacteria in the jejunum and acetate‐producing bacteria in the colon. These results demonstrated the differences in fermentation properties of 2'‐FL by small and large intestinal microbiota and provided new evidence for the application of 2'‐FL in optimizing gut microbiota. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.