Probiotic infant cereal improves children’s gut microbiota: Insights using the Simulator of Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem (SHIME®)

[Display omitted] •Infant cereal with probiotic has a positive impact on the microbiota composition and metabolites.•Inclusion of infant cereal the diet favors the proliferation of Lactobacillaceae.•Butyric acid production was higher during treatment period than control period.•In vitro simulators are useful tools to explain the mechanism of action of infant cereal. Infant́s gut microbiota can be modulated by many factors, including mode of delivery, feeding regime, maternal diet/weight and probiotic and prebiotic consumption. The gut microbiota in dysbiosis has been associated with innumerous diseases. In this sense, early childhood intestinal microbiome modulation can be a strategy for disease prevention. This study had the purpose to evaluate the effect of an infant cereal with probiotic (Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis BB-12®) on infant́s intestinal microbiota using SHIME®, which simulates human gastrointestinal conditions. The ascending colon was inoculated with fecal microbiota from three children (2–3 years old). NH4+, short chain fatty acids (SCFASs) and microbiota composition were determined by selective ion electrode, GC/MS and 16S sequencing, respectively. After treatment, butyric acid production increased (p