@article{herfel_jacobi_lin_jouni_chichlowski_stahl_odle_2013, title={Dietary supplementation of Bifidobacterium longum strain AH1206 increases its cecal abundance and elevates intestinal interleukin-10 expression in the neonatal piglet}, volume={60}, ISSN={0278-6915}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2013.07.020}, DOI={10.1016/j.fct.2013.07.020}, abstractNote={Intestinal microbiota of infants differ in response to gestational age, delivery mode and feeding regimen. Dietary supplementation of probiotic bacteria is one method of promoting healthy populations. We examined the impact of a novel probiotic strain of Bifidobacterium longum (AH1206) on the health, growth and development of neonatal pigs as a model for infants. Day-old pigs were fed milk-based formula containing AH1206 at 0, 109, or 1011 CFU/d for 18 d (n = 10/treatment). Differences were not detected in growth, organ weights or body temperatures (P > 0.1); however pigs fed the high dose showed a small (2%) reduction in feed intake. Bacterial translocation was not affected as indicated by total anaerobic and aerobic counts (CFU) in samples of spleen, liver and mesenteric lymph nodes (P > 0.1). Feeding AH1206 had no effects on fecal consistency, but increased the density of B. longum in the cecum. Ileal TNF expression tended to increase (P = 0.08) while IL-10 expression increased linearly (P = 0.01) with supplementation. Based upon findings in the suckling piglet model, we suggest that dietary supplementation with B. longum (AH1206) may be safe for human infants based on a lack of growth, development or deleterious immune-related effects observed in piglets.}, journal={Food and Chemical Toxicology}, publisher={Elsevier BV}, author={Herfel, Tina M. and Jacobi, Sheila K. and Lin, Xi and Jouni, Zeina E. and Chichlowski, Maciej and Stahl, Chad H. and Odle, Jack}, year={2013}, month={Oct}, pages={116–122} }
 @article{herfel_jacobi_lin_van heugten_fellner_odle_2013, title={Stabilized rice bran improves weaning pig performance via a prebiotic mechanism}, volume={91}, ISSN={0021-8812 1525-3163}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.2527/jas.2012-5287}, DOI={10.2527/jas.2012-5287}, abstractNote={Stabilized rice bran (SRB) is classified as a "functional food" because of its prebiotic characteristics. With increasing grain prices and the pressure to remove antibiotics from swine diets because of concern over antibiotic resistance, SRB was investigated as a nursery diet ingredient with and without the addition of antibiotics (ANT). Two hundred pigs were weaned at 21 d of age, blocked by BW, and allotted to diets containing 0 or 10% SRB ± ANT according to a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. Five animals were housed per pen throughout a 28-d growth period. At the end of the trial, 1 pig from each pen was euthanized for measurement of intestinal morphology. Antibiotic supplementation improved ADG by 6.4% during Phase 2 (d 14 to 28; P = 0.02), but other production variables were unaffected by ANT. During Phase 2 and cumulatively (d 0 to 28), the supplementation of SRB improved G:F by 10% in ANT-free pigs but not in pigs fed ANT (ANT × SRB, P < 0.03). Ileal histology revealed an increase in crypt depth of pigs fed the diet containing ANT plus SRB and corresponding decreases in villi:crypt associated with both ANT and SRB supplementation (P < 0.05). Intraepithelial lymphocytes were increased by 15% in pigs fed SRB without ANT, but were unaffected by SRB in pigs fed ANT (ANT x SRB, P = 0.003). Colonic bifidobacteria tended to increase with SRB supplementation (P < 0.10). Differences in ileal and cecal digesta short-chain fatty acid concentrations were not detected. In summary, SRB improved the efficiency of nutrient utilization in nursery diets lacking antibiotics and tended to increase intestinal bifidobacteria concentrations, indicating that SRB may exert beneficial prebiotic effects in weanling pigs.}, number={2}, journal={Journal of Animal Science}, publisher={Oxford University Press (OUP)}, author={Herfel, T. and Jacobi, S. and Lin, X. and Van Heugten, E. and Fellner, V. and Odle, J.}, year={2013}, month={Feb}, pages={907–913} }
 @article{herfel_jacobi_lin_fellner_walker_jouni_odle_2011, title={Polydextrose Enrichment of Infant Formula Demonstrates Prebiotic Characteristics by Altering Intestinal Microbiota, Organic Acid Concentrations, and Cytokine Expression in Suckling Piglets}, volume={141}, ISSN={0022-3166 1541-6100}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.3945/jn.111.143727}, DOI={10.3945/jn.111.143727}, abstractNote={Oligosaccharides, the 3rd-most abundant component in human milk, are virtually absent from infant formulas and from the cow milk on which most are based. In breast-fed infants, human milk oligosaccharides (HMO) act as both receptor analogs, interfering with pathogen adhesion, and as prebiotics, stimulating the growth of certain commensal bacteria (e.g. bifidobacteria) and supporting the innate immunity. To further align the functional properties of infant formula with those of human milk, polydextrose (PDX) is proposed as a substitute for HMO. To determine the prebiotic functionality of PDX, 1-d-old pigs were fed a cow milk-based formula supplemented with increasing concentrations of PDX (0, 1.7, 4.3, 8.5, or 17 g/L) for 18 d (n = 13). Additional reference groups included pigs sampled at d 0 and sow-reared pigs sampled at d 18 (n = 12). Ileal Lactobacilli CFU, but not Bifidobacteria, increased linearly with increasing PDX (P = 0.02). The propionic acid concentration in digesta linearly increased with the PDX level (P = 0.045) and lactic acid increased linearly by 5-fold with increasing PDX (P = 0.001). Accordingly, digesta pH decreased linearly (P < 0.05) as PDX increased, with a maximal reduction approaching 0.5 pH units in pigs fed 17 g/L. Expression of TNFα, IL-1β, and IL-8 showed a negative quadratic pattern in response to PDX supplementation, declining at intermediate concentrations and rebounding at higher concentrations of PDX. In summary, PDX enrichment of infant formula resulted in a prebiotic effect by increasing ileal lactobacilli and propionic and lactic acid concentrations and decreasing pH with associated alterations in ileal cytokine expression.}, number={12}, journal={The Journal of Nutrition}, publisher={Oxford University Press (OUP)}, author={Herfel, Tina M. and Jacobi, Sheila K. and Lin, Xi and Fellner, Vivek and Walker, D. Carey and Jouni, Zeina E. and Odle, Jack}, year={2011}, month={Oct}, pages={2139–2145} }
 @article{herfel_jacobi_lin_walker_jouni_odle_2009, title={Safety evaluation of polydextrose in infant formula using a suckling piglet model}, volume={47}, ISSN={0278-6915}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2009.03.039}, DOI={10.1016/j.fct.2009.03.039}, abstractNote={Oligosaccharides, the third largest component in human milk, are virtually absent from cow’s milk and most infant formula. Prebiotic carbohydrates like polydextrose (PDX) have been proposed as surrogates for human milk oligosaccharides. Safety assessments of novel infant formula ingredients include dose-response experiments in appropriate neonatal animal models such as the suckling pig. To further substantiate the safety of the ingredient, one-day old pigs were fed a cow’s milk-based formula supplemented with PDX (1.7, 4.3, 8.5 or 17 g/L) for 18 days (n = 13/dose) and compared to appropriate control (unsupplemented formula; n = 13) and reference groups (day 0 pigs, and sow-reared pigs; n = 13). Growth rate, formula intake, stool consistency, behavior score, blood chemistry and hematology, relative organ weights (% of body weight), tissue morphology (i.e. liver, kidney and pancreas) and pancreas biochemistry did not differ among formula-fed pigs (P > 0.1). Polydextrose mimicked other prebiotic carbohydrates and had no adverse effect at the highest tested level 17.0 g PDX/L, equivalent to a dose of 8.35 g/kg of body weight per day.}, number={7}, journal={Food and Chemical Toxicology}, publisher={Elsevier BV}, author={Herfel, T.M. and Jacobi, S.K. and Lin, X. and Walker, D.C. and Jouni, Z.E. and Odle, J.}, year={2009}, month={Jul}, pages={1530–1537} }