Effects of tempe smoothie on fecal scfas in perimenopausal women: A quasi-experimental pilot study

¹ Master of Public Health Program Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitas Respati Indonesia, 13890 Jakarta, Indonesia
² Public Health Program, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitas Respati Indonesia, 13890 Jakarta, Indonesia
³ Master of Hospital Administration Program, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitas Respati Indonesia, 13890 Jakarta, Indonesia
⁴ Nursing Program, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitas Respati Indonesia, 13890 Jakarta, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract

Tempe is a fermented soybean product rich in dietary fiber and bioactive compounds that may influence gut microbial fermentation and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of tempe smoothie consumption on fecal SCFA concentrations in perimenopausal women. A quasi-experimental one-group pre–post intervention study was conducted in East Jakarta, Indonesia. Sixteen participants were involved, and eight with complete fecal samples were included in the final analysis. Participants consumed tempe smoothie (600 mL/day) five days per week for six weeks. Fecal SCFAs (acetate, propionate, butyrate, and valerate) were analyzed using gas chromatography–flame ionization detection (GC-FID). Paired tests were used to compare pre- and post-intervention values. Acetate proportion, absolute butyrate concentration, and total SCFAs increased after the intervention, although these changes were not statistically significant (p>0.05). In contrast, valerate proportion decreased significantly (p=0.029). In this pilot, uncontrolled study, tempe smoothie consumption was associated with directionally favorable changes in fecal SCFA profiles, suggesting a potential shift toward more beneficial microbial fermentation. These findings are exploratory and require confirmation in larger randomized controlled trials.