Plantain Fiber Eases Crohns Disease

LIVERPOOL, United KingdomComing soon to a grocer near you, a plantain-based food product targeted to people suffering from Crohns Disease. At least thats the goal of scientists at the University of Liverpool, who found that soluble fibers found in plantains can be used to treat Crohns disease.

Crohns causes chronic intestinal inflammation, which leads to pain, bleeding and diarrhea.  People with Crohns disease have increased numbers of a sticky type of E. coli that penetrate the gut wall via M-cells that act as gatekeepers to the lymphatic system. The researchers investigated whether dietary agents could influence E. coli entering the lining of the gut.

Scientists found that plantain soluble fibers prevented the uptake and transport of E. coli across M.cells. They also tested polysorbate-80 and found that the fat emulsifier actually encouraged the movement of bacteria through the cells.

University of Liverpool Professor, Jon Rhodes, member of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), said: Crohns disease affects people from all over the world, but it is much more prevalent in developed countries, where a diet of low fiber and processed foods is common. There has been a rapid increase in incidence of the disease in Japan, for example, which now has more of a western processed food diet. Dietary factors and the increased numbers of E. coli in the intestine of Crohns patients suggested to us that there could be a link between the food that we eat and the transportation of bacteria in the body."

Researchers are working with biotechnology company Provexis to test a new plantain based food product that could treat patients with the disease.