carbohydrates for nutrition and health - Carbohydrate Competence ...

highlights of demand-driven carbohydrate research
carbohydrate structure and functionality
WP 2b prebiotics and antibiotics for a healthy colon
Dr. Henk Schols
WP 2b cooperation:
Royal FrieslandCampina, TNO Healthy
Living, Wageningen UR
Combating negative effects of anti biotics
Towards a healthier and sustainable society
Is it possible to influence health of elderly people and children by taking prebiotics?
This is especially important when treating with antibiotics, since part of the intestinal
flora will be unintentionally slain. The idea underlying this project is that, through the
use of prebiotics, the intestinal microbiota recovers more rapidly.
‘The aim of this work package is to better understand the ability of several prebiotics to
stimulate a recovery of the microflora after an antibiotic treatment dr. Henk Schols, Food
Chemistry Group of Wageningen UR, explains. ‘The results of this research will be used to
develop new applications for prebiotics to counteract the negative effects of antibiotics
on intestinal health.’
I-chip technology
Well-known prebiotics such as Galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) but also new potential
prebiotics like acetylated glucomannan oligosaccharides originating from the tuber of
the Asian plant Amorphophallus konjac, will be studied. The TNO I-chip technology will be
used for the high throughput screening of the microbiota and state-of-the-art LC/CE-MS will
be used to monitor the degradation of individual prebiotic oligosaccharides in fermentation
studies.
Research on prebiotics is important to the industrial partner within the work package,
Royal FrieslandCampina, as well. The company provides people around the world with all
the good things milk has to offer; products that play an important role in people’s nutrition
and well-being.
28 29