Gut microbiota modulatory capacity of fermented ketchup in a validated in vitro model of the colon

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of fermented beetroot ketchup enriched with Lactobacillus johnsonii K4 and non-fermented beetroot ketchup on pooled fecal microbiota from healthy adults in in vitro colon model. The research focused on how these products influenced the composition and functionality of the gut microbiota, as well as metabolite production, using the validated dynamic in vitro colon model, TNO Intestinal Model (TIM-2). After an initial starvation phase, a single 60 g dose of predigested and freeze-dried ketchup was introduced into the model. The potential probiotic strain Lactobacillus johnsonii K4 was added over three days. A carbohydrate mixture of standard ileal effluent medium (SIEM) served as the control. Our analysis identified 21 bacterial taxa that were significantly modulated (q-value < 0.2) when comparing ketchup samples to control samples. Notably, the ketchup samples led to an increase in butyrate-producing taxa, including Faecalibacterium, Blautia, Ruminococcaceae, Ruminiclostridium 6, and Anaerostipes. Conversely, there was a reduction in potentially pathogenic genera Desulfovibrio and Escherichia-Shigella. Distinct profiles of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) were observed among the fermented ketchup, non-fermented ketchup, and control samples. Non-fermented ketchup resulted in higher proportions of acetate, propionate, and butyrate compared to the other interventions. This may be related to the fermentation with lactic acid bacteria in fermented samples with lower levels of substrate for SCFAs production. However, fermented ketchup sample has higher relative abundance of beneficial bacteria like Lactobacillus, Weissella and Dorea in gut microbiota. These findings suggest that beetroot ketchup, can positively influence gut microbiota composition and function, highlighting its potential benefits for human health.