Pectin as an alternative feed additive and effects on microbiota

As an increase on gut health interest has occurred, various studies have been conducted to investigate functional feed ingredients such as prebiotics and dietary fibers (DFs) for their beneficial effects on host gut health and disease prevention. More recently, DFs have been categorized based on their characteristics and applied to human and animal models to assess their effectiveness. Of these DFs, pectin is a naturally occurring biopolymer that has been used in various applications for purposes of pharmaceutical and biotechnology. Some sources, such as citrus pectin and sugar beet pectins, are widely utilized throughout the world. Pectin is a soluble DF that can be entirely fermented by gut microbiota. There has been a growing interest in the health effects of pectin. Pectins from different sources might have different characteristics, such as molecular size and degree of methylation (DM). These structural parameters of pectin have a major influence on biological properties and gut microbiota. In this chapter, we will discuss the characteristics and effects of pectin on short chain fatty acids (SCFA) production and describe subsequent changes in the gut microbial population.