Effect of human faecal inoculum on in vitro fermentation variables.

1. Homogenized and diluted faeces (66.6 g/l) collected from one human source on three different months was incubated with four standard substrates (oat bran, wheat bran, red kidney beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) and guar gum) for 4, 8, 12 and 24 h. 2. Neutral-detergent fibre and organic matter (OM) digestibility measurements and gas production (ml gas/g OM) were influenced by substrate and incubation period but not by day of collection. 3. Production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) (mmol/g OM) was a function of substrate and incubation period but not day of collection at 4, 8 and 12 h. Rapidly fermentable substrates such as red kidney beans and guar gum did not ferment beyond 12 h and SCFA values were not different at 24 h. 4. Substrates differed in amount, rate and type of SCFA produced. 5. The results indicate that human faeces collected on different occasions were sufficiently uniform to yield similar in vitro fermentation findings among collections. Therefore, it is concluded that human faecal material is a practical source of micro-organisms to evaluate the fermentation properties of substrates.