Interaction between Chinese olive ( <scp> <i>Canarium album</i> </scp> L.) polyphenols and gut microbiota: Potential implications for inflammatory bowel disease

BACKGROUND: Polyphenols' interaction with gut microbiota is crucial for their bioactivity and intestinal health benefits, yet this effect varies individually due to differences in microbiota structure. Using fecal samples from healthy individuals (n = 3), ulcerative colitis (UC) patients (n = 3), and Crohn's disease (CD) patients (n = 3), we employed an in vitro digestion and fermentation model combined with 16S rRNA sequencing to compare polyphenol-microbiota interactions among these groups. RESULTS: Polyphenol intervention consistently increased Bifidobacterium abundance while decreasing Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes across all groups. Meanwhile, there were significant differences among the groups in the abundance of certain bacterial genera such as Akkermansia, Enterobacter, and Lactobacillus, as well as in the production of short-chain fatty acids like propionate, butyrate, and isobutyrate. Further analysis revealed that in the healthy group, the relative abundance of some beneficial bacteria (such as Akkermansia) was positively correlated with the level of catechins, while in the UC and CD groups, the proliferation of inflammation-related bacterial genera such as Flavonifractor promoted the production of benzoic acid. CONCLUSION: This study elucidated the adaptive regulation of polyphenols on different gut microbiota and the role of microbiota in modulating the differentiation of polyphenol metabolites, providing a theoretical basis for the development of precision nutrition intervention strategies for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) based on the interaction between microbiota and polyphenols. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.