Short-chain fatty acids in the proximal gastrointestinal tract of healthy subjects

The total concentration of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in healthy subjects, measured by gas chromatography, was in saliva and jejunal aspirates (n = 6) (median (range] 4480 (2780-9940) mumol/l and 265 (185-1470) mumol/l and in gastric and duodenal aspirates (n = 7) 719 (425-1770) mumol/l and 480 (137-778) mumol/l, respectively. Acetic and propionic acid accounted for 85% and 11%, respectively, and i-butyric, n-butyric, and i-valeric for less than 2% each in jejunal aspirates. A very similar relative distribution was present also in saliva and gastric and duodenal aspirates, essentially different from that of feces. Through anaerobic culturing from jejunum, 10(3) to 10(8) bacteria/ml was obtained; there was no correlation between the log number of bacteria and the SCFAs concentration before and after ingestion of sucrose. Swallowed exogenous radiolabeled propionate was partly recovered in the jejunum. The findings indicate that the SCFAs recovered from the jejunum in healthy subjects are mainly produced in the mouth and swallowed with the saliva.