Please select the FALSE statement regarding butyrate. Group of answer choices Butyrate is consumed in plant material. Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid. Butyrate is produced by gut bacteria. Butyrate is a degradation product of plant material. Butyrate may protect against colon cancer.
Please select the FALSE statement regarding butyrate. Group of answer choices Butyrate is consumed in plant material. Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid. Butyrate is produced by gut bacteria. Butyrate is a degradation product of plant material. Butyrate may protect against colon cancer.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Correct Answer (FALSE Statement):
Butyrate is consumed in plant material.
Explanation:
Butyrate, or butyric acid, is a short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) with four carbon atoms. It plays a crucial role in gut health, especially in the colon. Understanding how butyrate is formed and its biological effects helps clarify why the statement above is false.
How Butyrate is Formed:
Butyrate is not directly present in plant material in significant amounts. Instead, it is produced by gut microbiota—particularly anaerobic bacteria such as Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and Eubacterium rectale—through fermentation of dietary fibers (complex carbohydrates found in plant material) in the large intestine. The main SCFAs produced in this process are acetate, propionate, and butyrate.
So, the fiber in plant-based foods is fermented, and butyrate is a byproduct of this microbial metabolism. Therefore, we do not “consume” butyrate in plant material directly; rather, we consume fibers and other polysaccharides that gut bacteria convert into butyrate. Hence, saying butyrate is “consumed in plant material” is incorrect.
True Statements:
- Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid: This is correct; it’s a 4-carbon SCFA.
- Butyrate is produced by gut bacteria: True; microbial fermentation of dietary fiber produces butyrate.
- Butyrate is a degradation product of plant material: Partially true in the sense that fiber from plant material is broken down to yield butyrate.
- Butyrate may protect against colon cancer: This is well-supported by research. Butyrate serves as an energy source for colonocytes, exhibits anti-inflammatory properties, promotes apoptosis of cancer cells, and maintains intestinal barrier integrity.
In conclusion, while plant material is essential for butyrate production, butyrate itself is not directly present or consumed in plant material—making that the false statement.
