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A recently
published paper in Science
entitled "Grain Feeding and the Dissemination of Acid-Resistant
Escherichia coli from Cattle" casts a new perspective on the
effect of these organic acids in changing bacterial characteristics.
" Since the early 1980's medical research has shown that some
forms of ulcerative colitis appear to be caused by a commonly-found
intestinal bacterium, Escherichia coli, which, as a
result of a change in its characteristics (a mutation), has
developed the ability to produce disease. Although there are
numerous reasons as to why harmless forms of bacteria might
change their characteristics through genetic mutation, the
question could be asked: Is the fermentation of undigested,
unabsorbed starch by intestinal bacteria in the human colon
causing an acidic environment which could cause harmless bacteria
to change to harmful forms?
Once bacteria
multiply within the small intestine, the chain of events [diagrammed
in Figure 5 of Breaking The Vicious Cycle] develops into a
vicious cycle characterized by an increase in the production
of gas, acids and other productions of fermentation which
perpetuate the malabsorption problem and prolong the intestinal
disorder."
References:
- Diez-Gonzalez,
F., T.R. Callaway, M.G. Kizoulis, and B. Russell. 1998.
Grain feeding and dissemination of acid-resistant Escherichia
coli from cattle. Science 281:1666-1668.
- Pai,
C.H., R. Gordon, H.V. Sims, et al. 1984. Sporadic cases
ofhemor- rhagic colitis associated with Escherichia coli
0157:H7. Annals of Internal Medicine 101:738-742.
- Riley,
L.W., R.S. Remis, S.D. Helgerson, et al. 1985. Hemorrhagic
col- itis associated with a rare Escherichia coli serotype.
New England Journal of Medicine 508:681-685.
- Burke,
D.A. and A.T.R. Axon. 1987. Ulcerative colitis and Escherichia
coli with adhesive properties. Journal of Clinical Pathology
40:782- 786.
 More on colonic bacteria: colon reflorestation
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Research on Grain-fed cows and IBD