In vitro kinetics of prebiotic inulin-type fructan fermentation by butyrate-producing colon bacteria: implementation of online gas chromatography for quantitative analysis of carbon dioxide and hydrogen gas production

The kinetics of inulin-type fructan degradation is examined by representatives of the genera Anaerostipes and Roseburia and a method based on online gas chromatography (GC) is developed for assessing gas production in a continuously sparged fermentation vessel for complete coverage of metabolite production. The complete recovery of metabolites during fermentations of Clostridial cluster XIVa butyrate-producing colon bacteria has allowed stoichiometric balancing of the metabolite pathway for butyrate production, including the formation of [H.sub.2].