Patent ID: 7700139

Claim:
A method for decreasing pH of bowel contents, increasing total short chain fatty acid (SCFA) concentration in the bowel contents, increasing total SCFA amount in the bowel contents, increasing concentration of one SCFA in the bowel contents or increasing the amount of one SCFA in the bowel contents in a mammalian animal, comprising the step of feeding the animal an effective amount of an altered wheat starch in the form of grain of a wheat plant, or flour or wholemeal obtained by processing the grain, wherein the proportion of amylose in the starch of the grain, flour or wholemeal is at least 40% and wherein said grain comprises (i) a reduced level of SBEIIa enzyme activity relative to wild-type grain, flour or wholemeal or a reduced level of SBEIIa protein relative to wild-type grain, flour or wholemeal; and (ii) amylopectin with a proportion of 4-12 dp chain length fraction of 49.99% or less, as measured by fluorophore-assisted carbohydrate electrophoresis after isoamylase debranching of the amylopectin.