Influence of Galactooligosaccharides on the Human Fecal Microflora

Abstract

The effects of galactooligosaccharides intake on fecal mic-roflora and their metabolism were investigated in twelve healthy volun-teers, in whom the numbers of indigenous bifidobacteria are comparative-ly low. The galactooligosaccharides ingestion increased the number of bifidobacteria, but remarkable changes of other organisms were not observed. This sugar also lowered fecal nitroreductase activity, the concentrations of indole and isovaleric acid.