Estudios científicos

Effects of dietary grape pomace on the intestinal microbiota and growth performance of weaned piglets.

Abstract:

Grape pomace (GP) is an abundant by-product from wine production and is rich in phenolic compounds, unsaturated fatty acids, dietary fibre and beneficial bacteria. In this study, weaned piglets were fed a basic diet supplemented with 5% GP for 4 weeks. Compared with those in the control (CON) group, it was found that the proportion of Lactobacillus delbrueckii, Olsenella umbonata and Selenomonas bovis in the caecum and the villus height and villus height/crypt depth ratio (VCR) of the jejunum were both significantly increased in the GP group (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, at the mRNA expression level, several proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-8, IL-6 and TNF-α) were significantly downregulated (p < 0.05) in piglet caecal tissue, and the short-chain fatty acid receptors (GPR41 and GPR43) were not significantly upregulated. In contrast, the levels of IgG was significantly increased (p < 0.05) in the sera of weaned piglets in the GP group. However, no difference in growth performance between the two groups of piglets was detected. These results show that GP had no adverse effects on the growth performance of piglets, but GP can promote the content of some beneficial bacteria in the caecum; this effect is conducive to improving the disease resistance potential of piglets.

Comentarios divulgativos:

Durante la producción del vino uno de los subproductos más abundantes es el hollejo de la uva, en cuya composición encontramos importantes cantidades de compuestos fenólicos, ácidos grasos insaturados, fibra y bacterias beneficiosas.

Este estudio tiene como objetivo conocer si suplementar la dieta de lechones recién destetados con un 5% de hollejo de uva durante 4 semanas tiene un efecto en su desarrollo.

Los resultados encontrados fueron positivos, s e encontraron cambios en la composición de la microbiota, es decir las bacterias intes tinales, y también en el tejido intestinal.

Los animales suplementados con el hollejo de uva redujeron su inflamación y aumentaron los niveles de inmunoglobulinas IgG, un elemento del sistema inmune que participa en la defensa frente a infecciones. Además, la suplementación con el hollejo de uva no parecía influir en el crecimiento de los lechones, ni producir efectos adversos.