A fecal collection kit, which consisted of a collection tube containing 10 mL of 3 % phenol in water, collection paper, a spoon to scrape the feces, an instruction, glove, and a plastic bag with a zipper, has been developed to collect human feces for determining fecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Using the fecal collection kit, human healthy volunteers (n = 15) and patients with ulcerative colitis (n = 10) can easily collect their feces specimen and mail them to our laboratory by themselves. The fecal SCFAs in mailed specimens are determined by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (HPLC-ECD) based on the voltammetric reduction of vitamin K3. Fecal SCFAs are stably remained in the present collection tube for 7 days at 4 °C. Fecal lactic acid content in patients with ulcerative colitis is increased, whereas fecal acetic acid content is decreased in comparison to that in healthy volunteers. The ratio of lactic acid to acetic and propionic acids in feces from patients with ulcerative colitis is significantly increased in comparison to that from healthy volunteers (p < 0.1). In conclusion, the present fecal collection kit would be useful to collect feces specimens from humans living in the country to determine fecal SCFAs by HPLC-ECD.
