Why farts are
a good sign
hildren find them hilarious,
selves. This process also creates molecules
the stomach and small intestine to feed
but farts are not generally
that improve the health of their host (ie, you).
the microbiome in the large intestine is
considered the best way to
Dr Lockett presented an update on his
known as resistant starch. Good sources
make friends and influence
group’s latest research at ‘Bugs, Bowels
of resistant starch include unrefined whole
people. However, there is
and Beyond’, the 2015 National Scientific
grains, pulses and legumes, unripe bananas
an upside to the noxious
Conference of the Australian Society for
and cooked and cooled foods such as po-
Medical Research held in Adelaide.
tatoes, pasta and rice.
fumes: the production of gas means that your body is hosting the right kinds of bacteria.
He focused in particular on recent findings
Dr Lockett explained that in addition to
Key to creating a welcoming home for
describing how different dietary components
conducting fundamental research, scientists
these ‘good’ bugs — known as our micro-
influence the microbiome and determine
at the CSIRO work across the fields of nutri-
biome — is dietary fibre.
their production of both gas and beneficial
tion and agriculture for product development.
“Fermentable components of dietary
molecules.
“As our understanding of the beneficial
fibre have a critical role in feeding the gut
“For example, we know now that bacteria
components of dietary fibre has improved,
microbiome,” said Dr Trevor Lockett, head
living in the large intestine produce a short
we’ve been able to inform colleagues who
of the Gut Health and Nutrition Group at
chain fatty acid known as butyrate, which
are growing grains for cereal purposes,”
CSIRO Food and Nutrition.
can reduce inflammation by stimulating
he explained.
“This part of fibre is fermented mostly
regulatory immune cells,” he said. “We’re
“If we can include and enrich resistant
to short chain fatty acids, a process which
now seeking to expand some of this work
starch in marketable grains, perhaps we
creates gas.”
to see if we can improve inflammatory
can drive health benefits.”
Fermentation is a chemical process that
bowel disease.”
Dr Lockett’s CSIRO colleague Dr Bianca
breaks down carbohydrates in fibre: bacteria
The component in food that manages
Benassi-Evans has recently trialled two
do it in our bowels to create food for them-
to make it through digestive processes in
non-genetically modified barley grains to determine their impact on bowel health. Comparing the two candidate barley grains against regular barley and puffed rice as breakfast meals in a sample of 20 adults, she found both to have desirable features. “Our grains increased the acidity in stool samples and increased bowel production of butyrate,” she said. “Both of these outcomes are biomarkers of good bowel health.” Additional studies are currently taking place, through which Dr Benassi-Evans hopes these grains may end up in your cereal aisle. “What you choose in that supermarket can have dramatic effects on gut health,” she said.
© kei907/Dollar Photo Club
Which breakfast products make you fart is a matter for you — and perhaps your loved ones — to decide. CSIRO Food and Nutrition www.csiro.au/food-innovation
42 | PREPARED FOOD - Feb/Mar 2016
www.preparedfood.com.au