Prebiotic effects of resistant starch nanoparticles on growth and proliferation of the probiotic Lactiplantibacillus plantarum subsp. plantarum

Resistant starch can escape digestion by a host's small intestinal glucoamylases and transit the colon, where it is degraded by gut bacteria. The objective of this study was to demonstrate the prebiotic activities of resistant starch nanoparticles (SNPs) on the probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum (recently re-named Lactiplantibacillus plantarum subsp. Plantarum (L. plantarum)). The results showed that SNPs (0.5% w/v) could be continuously fermented by L. plantarum and that many viable L. plantarum were maintained at 9.5 log CFU/mL until the 70th hour of cultivation. Conversely, the viable L. plantarum yield was merely 6.75 log CFU/mL when the carbon source used was glucose. The addition of SNPs increased the hydrophobicity and the β-sheet content of the surface layer proteins of L. plantarum, which may have increased the intestinal adhesion of L. plantarum. Furthermore, the content of short-chain fatty acids, especially butyric acid, increased and proved beneficial for host health.