A Novel Plant‐Based Food to Enlarge the Access of Healthy Bioactive Compounds Typical of the Mediterranean Diet to Non‐Adherent People
ABSTRACT We selected ingredients with a high content of bioactive components typical of the Mediterranean diet (MD) and designed an MD‐based food. Its effect on human gut microbiota, microbiome, and metabolome was explored in comparison to placebo by feeding a Twin Mucosal Simulator of the Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem (Twin M‐SHIME). The fecal donor used for the inoculation of the Twin M‐SHIME was chosen within a cohort of individuals showing low adherence to MD. The administration of MD‐based food increased the abundance of numerous taxa, almost all having the potential to exert beneficial activities. The reshaping of the microbiota reflected on microbiome changes: genes responsible for colanic acid biosynthesis (implicated in healthy aging) and carbohydrate metabolism increased, whereas genes involved in l ‐valine pathway decreased. MD‐based food temporarily increased short‐chain fatty acid (SCFA) synthesis, reflecting the increase of genes responsible for butyrate synthesis and fiber degradation. MD‐based food modulated the synthesis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), mainly esters derived from medium‐ and long‐chain fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Authors
- Francesco Maria Calabrese (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0176-7046)
- Andrea Polo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3001-4927)
- Luca Cocolin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4799-7074)
- Olimpia Vincentini (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4137-4135)
- Maria De Angelis (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2010-884X)
- Danilo Ercolini (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3061-9560)
- Simona Bo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6862-8628)
- Giuseppe Celano (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3805-7681)
- Vincenzo Valentino (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6055-4721)
- Marco Gobbetti
- Ali Zein Alabiden Tlais (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3510-3598)
- Raffaella Di Cagno (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9431-4427)
- Cristian Del Bo’ (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7562-377X)
- Ilario Ferrocino (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1657-0054)
- Francesca De Filippis (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3474-2884)
Institutions
- Free University of Bozen-Bolzano (IT)
- University of Milan (IT)
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità (IT)
- Federico II University Hospital (IT)
- University of Turin (IT)
- University of Bari Aldo Moro (IT)
- University of Naples Federico II (IT)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Food Frontiers
- Published
- 2025-05-26
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1002/fft2.70044
- Primary Topic
- Nutritional Studies and Diet
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Ministero dell’Istruzione, dell’Università e della Ricerca
- Libera Università di Bolzano