GC-MS analysis of short-chain fatty acids in feces, cecum content, and blood samples

Abstract

Short-chain fatty acids, the end products of fermentation of dietary fibers by the gut microbiota, have been shown to exert multiple effects on mammalian metabolism. For the analysis of short-chain fatty acids, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry is a very powerful and reliable method. Here, we describe a fast, reliable, and reproducible method for the separation and quantification of short-chain fatty acids in mouse feces, cecum content, and blood samples (i.e., plasma or serum) using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The short-chain fatty acids analyzed include acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, valeric acid, hexanoic acid, and heptanoic acid.