***TASK*** the task is to summarize an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
    ***INPUT*** the input is a biomedical literature 
    ***OUTPUT*** the output is the summary of an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
    ***DOCUMENTATION*** 
    ***EXAMPLES*** 
    Input: The present study aim ed to determine the prebiotic effect of fruit and vegetable shots containing inulin derived from Jerusalem artichoke ( JA ) . A three-arm parallel , placebo-controlled , double-blind study was carried out with sixty-six healthy human volunteers ( thirty-three men and thirty-three women , age range : 18 - 50 years ) . Subjects were r and omised into three groups ( n 22 ) assigned to consume either the test shots , pear-carrot-sea buckthorn ( PCS ) or plum-pear-beetroot ( PPB ) , containing JA inulin ( 5 g/d ) or the placebo . Fluorescent in situ hybridisation was used to monitor population s of total bacteria , bacteroides , bifidobacteria , Clostridium perfringens/histolyticum subgroup , Eubacterium rectale/Clostridium coccoides group , Lactobacillus/Enterococcus spp . , Atopobium spp . , Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and propionibacteria . Bifidobacteria levels were significantly higher on consumption of both the PCS and PPB shots ( 10.0 ( sd 0.24 ) and 9.8 ( sd 0.22 ) log10 cells/g faeces , respectively ) compared with placebo ( 9.3 ( sd 0.42 ) log10 cells/g faeces ) ( P < 0.0001 ) . A small though significant increase in Lactobacillus/Enterococcus group was also observed for both the PCS and PPB shots ( 8.3 ( sd 0.49 ) and 8.3 ( sd 0.36 ) log10 cells/g faeces , respectively ) compared with placebo ( 8.1 ( sd 0.37 ) log10 cells/g faeces ) ( P = 0.042 ) . Other bacterial groups and faecal SCFA concentrations remained unaffected . No extremities were seen in the adverse events , medication or bowel habits . A slight significant increase in flatulence was reported in the subjects consuming the PCS and PPB shots compared with placebo , but overall flatulence levels remained mild . A very high level of compliance ( > 90 % ) to the product was observed . The present study confirms the prebiotic efficacy of fruit and vegetable shots containing JA inulin BACKGROUND The use of inulin in foods as a fiber source has increased recently . Consumption of inulin products can cause gastrointestinal ( GI ) distress . Acceptable intakes of inulin need to be determined . OBJECTIVE To determine the GI tolerance of two inulin fibers , shorter chain length oligofructose and native inulin , at 5- and 10-g doses compared to a placebo . DESIGN A r and omized , double-blind , controlled , crossover design that included a phone screening and five visits for breakfast fiber challenges consisting of a bagel , cream cheese , and orange juice . SUBJECTS/ SETTING Twenty-six healthy men and women ages 18 to 60 years participated in the study . Healthy subjects with no history of GI conditions consumed diets with typical amounts of fiber . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES GI tolerance was calculated as the sum of scores on seven GI tolerance domains via question naire administered at t=0 , 2 , 4 , 24 , and 48 hours following fiber challenge . STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED A mixed effects linear model was used to compare the tolerance scores among the five fiber challenges . RESULTS The two inulin fibers tended to increase GI symptoms mildly . Most frequently reported symptoms were flatulence followed by bloating . The 10-g dose of oligofructose substantially increased GI symptoms compared to control . CONCLUSIONS Doses up to 10 g/day of native inulin and up to 5 g/day of oligofructose were well-tolerated in healthy , young adults Fructooligosaccharides ( FOS ) can selectively stimulate the growth of bifidobacteria . Here , we investigated the effect of maternal FOS ingestion on maternal and neonatal gut bifidobacteria . In a r and omized , double-blind , placebo-controlled study , we administered 8 g/day of FOS or sucrose to 84 women from the 26th week of gestation to one month after delivery . The bifidobacteria count was detected using quantitative PCR in maternal ( 26 and 36 weeks of gestation ) and neonatal ( one month after delivery ) stools . Maternal stool frequency was recorded from 24 to 36 weeks of gestation . The number of fecal Bifidobacterium spp . and Bifidobacterium longum in the FOS group was significantly higher than that in the placebo group at 36 weeks of gestation ( 2.7 × 1010/g vs. 1.1 × 1010/g and 2.3 × 1010/g vs. 9.7 × 109/g ) . In their neonates , these numbers did not differ between the groups . Also , stool frequency in the FOS group was slightly higher than that in the placebo group two weeks after the intervention ( 1.0 vs. 0.8 times/day ) , suggesting a potential constipation alleviation effect . In conclusion , the maternal FOS ingestion showed a bifidogenic effect in pregnant women but not in their neonates A study was conducted to test the effects of  Jerusalem artichoke inulin ( JA ) or chicory inulin ( CH ) in snack bars on composition of faecal microbiota , concentration of faecal SCFA , bowel habit and gastrointestinal symptoms .  Forty-five volunteers participated in a double-blind , r and omized , placebo-controlled , parallel-group study . At the end of a 7 d run-in period , subjects were r and omly assigned to three groups of fifteen subjects each , consuming either snack bars with CH or JA , or snack bars without fructans ( placebo ) ; for 7 d ( adaptation period ) , they ingested one snack bar per day ( 7.7 g fructan/d ) and continued for 14 d with two snack bars per day . The composition of the microbiota was monitored weekly . The consumption of CH or JA  increased counts of bifidobacteria ( + 1.2 log10 in 21 d ) and reduced Bacteroides/Prevotella in number and the Clostridium histolyticum/C. lituseburense group in frequency at the end of intervention ( P < 0.05 ) . No changes in concentration of faecal SCFA were observed . Consumption of snack bars result ed in a slight increase in stool frequency . Stool consistency was slightly affected in subjects consuming two snack bars containing CH or JA per day ( P < 0.05 ) . Consumption of CH or JA result ed in mild and sometimes moderate flatulence in a few subjects compared to placebo ( P < 0.05 ) . No structural differences were detected between CH and JA before and after processing . In conclusion , adaptation on increased doses of CH or JA in bakery products stimulates the growth of bifidobacteria and may contribute to the suppression of potential pathogenic bacteria BACKGROUND & AIMS : Dietary fructans exacerbate symptoms in some , but not all , adults with irritable bowel syndrome ( IBS ) . We sought to determine whether fructans worsen symptoms in children with IBS and whether clinical and psychosocial factors , and /or gas production , can identify those who are fructan sensitive . METHODS : We performed a double‐blind placebo‐controlled ( maltodextrin ) cross‐over trial of 23 children with IBS , based on pediatric Rome III criteria , from September 2014 through December 2016 . At baseline , participants completed 1‐week pain and stool diaries and a 3‐day food record and psychosocial factors ( depression , anxiety , and somatization ) were measured . Subjects were r and omly assigned to groups that were provided meals for 72 hours containing either fructans or maltodextrin ( 0.5 g/kg ; maximum , 19 g ) . Following a washout period of 10 days or more , the subjects received the meal they were not given during the first study period ( crossed over ) . Gastrointestinal symptoms and breath hydrogen and methane production were captured during each meal period . Fructan sensitivity was defined as an increase of 30 % or more in abdominal pain frequency following fructan ingestion . RESULTS : Subjects had more mean episodes of abdominal pain/day during the fructan‐containing diet ( 3.4 ± 2.6 ) vs the maltodextrin‐containing diet ( 2.4 ± 1.7 ) ( P < .01 ) , along with more severe bloating ( P < .05 ) and flatulence ( P = .01 ) . Hydrogen ( but not methane ) production was greater while subjects were on the fructan‐containing diet ( 617 ± 305 ppm*h ) than the maltodextrin‐containing diet ( 136 ± 78 ppm*h ) ( P < .001 ) . Eighteen subjects ( 78.2 % ) had more frequent abdominal pain while on the fructan‐containing diet and 12 ( 52.2 % ) qualified as fructan sensitive . We found no difference between fructan‐sensitive and fructan‐insensitive subjects in baseline abdominal pain or bowel movement characteristics , dietary intake , psychosocial parameters , IBS subtype , or gas production . CONCLUSIONS : In a r and omized controlled trial of children with IBS , we found fructans to exacerbate several symptoms . However , fructan sensitivity can not be identified based on baseline gastrointestinal symptoms , dietary intake , psychosocial factors , or gas production . Clinical trials.gov no : NCT02842281 The objective of this experiment was to determine whether supplementation with fructooligosaccharides ( FOS ) and ( or ) Lactobacillus acidophilus ( LAC ) affected bowel function and fermentative end-product concentrations in feces of healthy humans . Subjects ( n = 68 ) were enrolled in a r and omized , double-blind , placebo-controlled , parallel study design . After a 4-wk baseline period , subjects consumed one of the following treatments twice daily for 4 wk : 1 ) 3 g sucrose + 80 mg cornstarch ; 2 ) 3 g FOS + 80 mg cornstarch ; 3 ) 3 g sucrose + 1 x 10(9 ) colony-forming units ( cfu ) LAC ; or 4 ) 3 g FOS + 1 x 10(9 ) cfu LAC . Subjects completed 7-d bowel function forms and 3-d dietary records before collection of fresh stool sample s at wk 4 , 6 and 8 . Statistical analyses were performed on differences from baseline using the General Linear Models procedure of SAS . Fructooligosaccharides decreased fecal ammonia ( P = 0.07 ) and isovalerate ( P = 0.12 ) concentrations at wk 6 . At wk 8 , FOS tended ( P = 0.11 ) to increase fecal putrescine concentrations . Lactobacillus decreased fecal organic matter percentage at wk 6 ( P < 0.05 ) and 8 ( P = 0.07 ) . At wk 6 and 8 , LAC increased ( P < 0.05 ) fecal 2-methylindole , total indole , and total indole and phenol concentrations . At wk 8 , LAC decreased fecal agmatine ( P = 0.08 ) and phenylethylamine ( P < 0.05 ) concentrations . In conclusion , FOS and LAC modified several metabolites associated with gut health , with FOS tending to be beneficial ( decreased fecal protein catabolites ) and LAC being negative ( increased fecal protein catabolites ) The intestinal microbiota are important during enteral tube feeding because they exert colonization resistance and produce SCFAs . However , the effect of the enteral formula composition on major bacterial groups of the microbiota has not been clearly defined . The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of enteral formulas with and without prebiotic fructooligosaccharides ( FOS ) and fiber on the fecal microbiota and SCFAs .  Healthy subjects ( n = 10 ; 4 men , 6 women ) consumed both a st and ard enteral formula and one containing FOS ( 5.1 g/L ) and fiber ( 8.9 g/L ) as a sole source of nutrition for 14 d in a r and omized , double-blind , crossover trial with a 6-wk washout phase . Fecal sample s were collected at the start and end of each formula phase , and were analyzed for major bacterial groups and SCFA concentrations using fluorescent in situ hybridization and GLC , respectively . Although there were reductions in total fecal bacteria due to both formula treatments , concentrations were higher after the FOS/fiber formula period compared with the st and ard formula period ( 11.2 + /- 0.2 vs. 11.0 + /- 0.2 log(10 ) cells/g , P = 0.005 ) . The FOS/fiber formula increased bifidobacteria ( P = 0.004 ) and reduced clostridia ( P = 0.006 ) . Compared with the st and ard formula , the FOS/fiber formula result ed in higher concentrations of total SCFA ( 332.4 + /- 133.8 vs. 22 
    Output:
    
A minimal increase in stool wet weight was also statistically demonstrated with short-chain β-fructans .
Moreover , the meta- analysis highlighted significant differences in stool consistency in contrast to fecal dry weight after β-fructan supplementation .
This systematic review and meta- analysis indicates that short-chain β-fructan supplementation has a positive effect on bowel function by significantly increasing the frequency of bowel movements