Work

Elucidating gut microbiota-targeted carbohydrate metabolic functions by high-pressure extracted polysaccharides from Morchella esculenta

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Morchella esculenta is a nutrient-rich edible mushroom whose polysaccharides (MEPs) exhibit notable prebiotic potential; however, the gut microbial metabolic responses to innovative extraction methods remain poorly understood. This study thus investigated gut microbiota-targeted metabolic functions in response to high-pressure extracted MEPs following by in vitro gastrointestinal digestion and fermentation. As a result, high-pressure extraction generated a carbohydrate-enriched fraction with elevated β-glucan content, accompanied by reduced molecular weight and altered monosaccharide composition, resulting in enhanced digestibility. The extracted MEPs significantly promoted short-chain fatty acids production and selectively modulated gut microbiota, enriching taxa, such as Bacteroides,Bifidobacterium, and Acidaminococcus. Metabolic pathway analysis identified carbohydrate metabolism, particularly galactose and mannose metabolism, as well as propanoate and butanoate metabolism, which were positively associated with key SCFAs-producing genera and monosaccharide composition changes. This study serves the development of M. esculenta–derived polysaccharides as functional food ingredients in regulating gut microbiota composition and enhancing host health.

Source: Food Hydrocolloids for Health

DOI: 10.1016/j.fhfh.2026.100312