The study investigated the prebiotic effects of cultivated Chondrus crispus seaweed supplemented in the feed of rats. The results suggest multiple prebiotic effects, such as influencing the composition of gut microbial communities, improvement of gut health, and immune modulation in rats supplemented with cultivated C. crispus. Phylochip array analysis showed differences in microbiome composition between the supplemented and control groups, with the 2.5% C. crispus group showing the largest separation. In this group, beneficial bacteria such as Bifidobacterium breve increased, while pathogenic species decreased. Short chain fatty acids and improved colon histo-morphology were also found in C. crispus-fed rats.
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