Development of a functional germinated barley foodstuff from brewer's spent grain for the treatment of ulcerative colitis

A new protein-rich and fibrous foodstuff, germinated barley foodstuff (GBF) , made from brewer's spent grain by physical isolation (milling and sieving ) contains glutamine-rich protein and hemicellulose. In addition to improvi ng defecation in healthy volunteers and animals, consumption of GBF prevent ed inflammation and diarrhea in a colitis model, largely by increasing prod uction of luminal short-chain fatty acids and because of its high water-hol ding capacity. In this study, we evaluated the safety and efficacy of GBF a s a novel nutraceutical therapy in the treatment of patients with ulcerativ e colitis (UC). Patients showed improvement in their clinical activity and endoscopic score and had an increase in stool butyrate content after GBF ad ministration, without any adverse effects. Further, we examined the mechani sm of the effect of GEE GBF was fermented, and butyrate was produced by Eub acterium with the aid of Bifidobacterium in the gastrointestinal tract. The bacterial butyrate production from GBF improved the intestinal barrier fun ction, resulting in mitigation of colitis. GBF may prove valuable when appl ied as a new functional foodstuff, especially as a nutraceutical in the tre atment of UC.