A One-Week Elderberry Juice Intervention Augments the Fecal Microbiota and Suggests Improvement in Glucose Tolerance and Fat Oxidation in a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Obesity is a costly and ongoing health complication in the United States and globally. Bioactive-rich foods, especially those providing polyphenols, represent an emerging and attractive strategy to address this issue. Berry-derived anthocyanins and their metabolites are of particular interest for their bioactive effects, including weight maintenance and protection from metabolic aberrations. Earlier findings from small clinical trials suggest modulation of substrate oxidation and glucose tolerance with mediation of prospective benefits attributable to the gut microbiota, but mixed results suggest appropriate anthocyanin dosing poses a challenge. The objective of this randomized, placebo-controlled study was to determine if anthocyanin-dense elderberry juice (EBJ) reproduces glucoregulatory and substrate oxidation effects observed with other berries and if this is mediated by the gut microbiota. Overweight or obese adults (BMI > 25 kg/m2) without chronic illnesses were randomized to a 5-week crossover study protocol with two 1-week periods of twice-daily EBJ or placebo (PL) separated by a washout period. Each treatment period included 4 days of controlled feeding with a 40% fat diet to allow for comparison of measurements in fecal microbiota, meal tolerance testing (MTT), and indirect calorimetry between test beverages. Eighteen study volunteers completed the study. At the phylum level, EBJ significantly increased Firmicutes and Actinobacteria, and decreased Bacteroidetes. At the genus level, EBJ increased Faecalibacterium, Ruminococcaceae, and Bifidobacterium and decreased Bacteroides and lactic acid-producing bacteria, indicating a positive response to EBJ. Supporting the changes to the microbiota, the EBJ treatment significantly reduced blood glucose following the MTT. Fat oxidation also increased significantly both during the MTT and 30 min of moderate physical activity with the EBJ treatment. Our findings confirm the bioactivity of EBJ-sourced anthocyanins on outcomes related to gut health and obesity. Follow-up investigation is needed to confirm our findings and to test for longer durations.

Impact of quinoa and food processing on gastrointestinal health: a narrative review.

Due to exceptional nutritional quality, quinoa is an ideal candidate to solve food insecurity in many countries. Quinoa's profile of polyphenols, essential amino acids, and lipids make it ideal for digestive health. How the nutrient profile and bioavailability of quinoa metabolites differs across cooking methods such as heat, pressure, and time employed has yet to be elucidated. The objective of this review is to compile available research pertaining to the impact of various cooking methods on quinoa's nutritional properties with specific emphasis on how those properties affect gut health. Replacing small percentages of wheat flour with quinoa flour in baked bread increases the antioxidant activity, essential amino acids, fiber, minerals, and polyphenols. Extruding quinoa flour reduces amino acid, lipid, and polyphenol content of the raw seed, however direct quinoa and cereal grain extrudate comparisons are absent. Boiling quinoa leads to an increase of dietary fiber as well as exceptional retention of amino acids, lipids, and polyphenols. Baking and extruding with quinoa flour results in less optimal texture due to higher density, however minor substitutions can retain acceptable texture and even improve taste. Future research on quinoa's substitution in common processing methods will create equally desirable, yet more nutritious food products.

Diet-Induced Rodent Obesity Is Prevented and the Fecal Microbiome Is Improved with Elderberry (Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis) Juice Powder.

Anthocyanin-rich edible berries protect against diet-induced obesity in animal models. Prevention is mediated through the bidirectional relationship with the fecal microbiome, and gut-derived phenolic metabolite absorption increases with physical activity, which may influence bioactivity. The objective of this study was to test elderberry juice powder on the development of diet-induced obesity and its influence on the fecal microbiome alone or in combination with physical activity. Male C57BL/6J mice were assigned to one of four treatments, including (1) high-fat diet without wheel access; (2) high-fat diet with unlimited wheel access; (3) high-fat diet supplemented with 10% elderberry juice powder without wheel access; and (4) high-fat diet supplemented with 10% elderberry juice powder with unlimited wheel access. Body weight gain, fat pads, and whole-body fat content in mice fed elderberry juice were significantly less than in mice fed the control diet independent of wheel access. At the end of the study, active mice fed elderberry juice ate significantly more than active mice fed a control diet. There was no difference in the physical activity between active groups. Elderberry juice increasedBifidobacterium, promotedAkkermansia and Anaeroplasma, and prevented the growth of Desulfovibrio. Elderberry juice is a potent inhibitor of diet-induced obesity with action mediated by the gut microbiota.

Polyphenolic profiles of a variety of wild berries from the Pacific Northwest region of North America.

Polyphenols have been extensively profiled and quantified in commercially grown berries, but similar information is sparsely available for wild berries. Because polyphenolic contents are inherently associated with berries health benefits, determining phenolic profiles is an important step for strategizing potential uses by the industry and for health and nutrition outcomes. Here, we profiled phenolic compounds in wild berries commonly encountered and harvested in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. Huckleberries (Vaccinium membranaceum) of varying phenotypes were found to be comparable to related blueberries in terms of general phenolic classes composition. However, all huckleberries exhibited markedly high levels of cyanidins, and delphinidins or peonidins were also higher in specific phenotypes. Wild black elderberries (Sambucus nigra spp. Canadensis) were found to have remarkably high phenolic, especially anthocyanins, in line with reports from cultivated elderberries. Saskatoon serviceberries (Amelanchier alnifolia) were found to exhibit high polyphenol content, but with a less diverse profile dominated by quercetin. The most intriguing berry may be the Oregon grape (Mahonia Aquifolium) being the only one exhibiting more than one g of polyphenols per 100 g; as well as a remarkably even distribution of the different anthocyanin classes. All colored wild berries were found to have at minimum comparable total phenolic contents when compared to cultivated and other wild berries, suggesting they should exhibit comparable human health benefits such as antioxidant and metabolic syndrome preventative potential described for these other berries. Overall, our data represents a valuable resource to explore the potential to valorize wild berry species for their specific phenolic profiles and predicted nutritional and health properties. With repeated phenolic profiling to better understand the impact of the environment, the wild berries described here hold promises both as food ingredient applications as well as valuable complement for healthy dietary patterns.

One-Week Elderberry Juice Treatment Increases Carbohydrate Oxidation after a Meal Tolerance Test and Is Well Tolerated in Adults: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study.

Obesity in the United States continues to worsen. Anthocyanin-rich fruits and vegetables provide a pragmatic dietary approach to slow its metabolic complications. Given American diet patterns, foods with high anthocyanin content could address dose-response challenges. The study objective was to determine the effect of 100% elderberry juice on measures of indirect calorimetry (IC) and insulin sensitivity/glucose tolerance in a placebo-controlled, randomized, crossover pilot study. Overweight and obese adults were randomized to a 5-week study which included 2 1-week periods of twice-daily elderberry juice (EBJ) or sugar-matched placebo consumption separated by a 3-week washout period. Following each 1-week test period, IC and insulin sensitivity/glucose tolerance was measured with a 3 h meal tolerance test (MTT). Treatment differences were tested with linear mixed modeling. A total of 22 prospective study volunteers (18 F/4 M) attended recruitment meetings, and 9 were analyzed for treatment differences. EBJ was well tolerated and compliance was 99.6%. A total of 6 IC measures (intervals) were created, which coincided with 10-20 min gaseous samplings in-between MTT blood samplings. Average CHO oxidation was significantly higher during the MTT after 1-week EBJ consumption (3.38 vs. 2.88 g per interval, EBJ vs. placebo, p = 0.0113). Conversely, average fat oxidation was significantly higher during the MTT after 1-week placebo consumption (1.17 vs. 1.47 g per interval, EBJ vs. placebo, p = 0.0189). This was in-line with a significantly lower average respiratory quotient after placebo treatment (0.87 vs. 0.84, EBJ vs. placebo, p = 0.0114). Energy expenditure was not different. There was no difference in serum glucose or insulin response between treatments. This pilot study of free-living volunteers describes significant change in IC but not insulin sensitivity with an EBJ intervention. Controlled feeding and increased sample size will help determine the utility of EBJ on these outcomes.

Dietary (poly)phenols mitigate inflammatory bowel disease: Therapeutic targets, mechanisms of action, and clinical observations.

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), which include Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, are a rapidly growing public health concern worldwide. These diseases are heterogeneous at the clinical, immunological, molecular, genetic, and microbial level, but characteristically involve a disrupted immune-microbiome axis. Shortcomings in conventional treatment options warrant the need for novel therapeutic strategies to mitigate these life-long and relapsing disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. Polyphenols, a diverse group of phytochemicals, have gained attention as candidate treatments due to their array of biological effects. Polyphenols exert broad anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects through the modulation of cellular signaling pathways and transcription factors important in IBD progression. Polyphenols also bidirectionally modulate the gut microbiome, supporting commensals and inhibiting pathogens. One of the primary means by which gut microbiota interface with the host is through the production of metabolites, which are small molecules produced as intermediate or end products of metabolism. There is growing evidence to support that modulation of the gut microbiome by polyphenols restores microbially derived metabolites critical to the maintenance of intestinal homeostasis that are adversely disrupted in IBD. This review aims to define the therapeutic targets of polyphenols that may be important for mitigation of IBD symptoms, as well as to collate evidence for their clinical use from randomized clinical trials.

Developing a definition of biofortification through the synthesis of food biofortification publications: a scoping review protocol.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this review is to develop a definition of biofortification through the synthesis of food biofortification publications and to document the breadth of the research on this topic. INTRODUCTION: Biofortification of a food source is a human health intervention. Due to the varying definitions of this concept, biofortification can be difficult to describe. Originally, biofortification was defined as the use of plant breeding methods to produce staple foods dense in minerals and vitamins. Research using the term focused on mineral, vitamin, and protein improvement of staple foods. However, the field has expanded to include non-staple foods as well as different methodological approaches to biofortification (eg, transgenic, molecular breeding). Researchers require a broad overview of the evidence and consensus on a definition to ensure effective communication within this scientific community. INCLUSION CRITERIA: Inclusion criteria will be broad to ensure that existing definitions of biofortification are captured across the different areas of study in this field. The review will consider research published in English. Inclusion will not be limited by participant type, date of publication, or context. The concept will be strictly biofortification. METHODS: A broad search strategy will be utilized for AGRICOLA, AGRIS, Web of Science, PubAg, CINAHL, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Epistemonikos, JBI Evidence Synthesis, Google Scholar, and Washington State University Libraries' integrated catalog. A limited search for gray literature will be conducted. The data extracted will include study and author characteristics. Tables and figures will demonstrate the breadth of the evidence.

Barley Melanoidins: Key Dietary Compounds With Potential Health Benefits.

This paper is a review of the potential health benefits of barley melanoidins. Food melanoidins are still rather understudied, despite their potential antioxidant, antimicrobial, and prebiotic properties. Free radicals are villainous substances in humans produced as metabolic byproducts and causing cancers and cardiovascular diseases, and the melanoidins alleviate the effects of these free radicals. Malt is produced from cereal grains such as barley, wheat, and maize, and barley is predominantly used in beer production. Beer (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) is a widely consumed beverage worldwide and a good source of dietary melanoidins, which enhance the beers' flavor, texture, and sensorial properties. Melanoidins, the final products of the Maillard reaction, are produced at different stages during the brewing process. Beer melanoidins protect the cells from oxidative damage of DNA. The high reducing capacity of melanoidins can induce hydroxyl radicals from H2O2 in the presence of ferric ion (Fe3+). Melanoidins inhibit lipid peroxidation during digestion due to their chelating metal property. However, lower digestibility of melanoidins leads to less availability to the organisms but is considered to function as dietary fiber that can be metabolized by the lower gut microbiota and possibly incur prebiotic properties. Melanoidins promote the growth of Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria in the gastrointestinal tract, preventing the colonization of potential pathogens. Barley is already popular through beer production and increasingly as a functional food. Considering this economic and industrial importance, more research to explore the chemical properties of barley melanoidins and corresponding health benefits as barley is warranted.

In Vitro Fecal Fermentation Patterns of Arabinoxylan from Rice Bran on Fecal Microbiota from Normal-Weight and Overweight/Obese Subjects.

Arabinoxylan (AX) is a structural polysaccharide found in wheat, rice and other cereal grains. Diets high in AX-containing fiber may promote gut health in obesity through prebiotic function. Thus, the impact of soluble AX isolated from rice bran fiber on human gut microbiota phylogenetic composition and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production patterns from normal-weight and overweight/obese subjects was investigated through in vitro fecal fermentation. Results showed that rice bran arabinoxylan modified the microbiota in fecal samples from both weight classes compared to control, significantly increasing Collinsella, Blautia and Bifidobacterium, and decreasing Sutterella, Bilophila and Parabacteroides. Rice bran AX also significantly increased total and individual SCFA contents (p < 0.05). This study suggests that rice bran AX may beneficially impact gut health in obesity through prebiotic activities.

Year, Location, and Variety Impact on Grape-Associated Mycobiota of Arkansas-Grown Wine Grapes for Wine Production.

Wine grape berries (Vitis spp.) harbor a wide variety of yeasts and filamentous fungi that impact grapevine health and the winemaking process. Identification of these fungi could be important for controlling and improving wine production. The use of high-throughput sequencing (HTS) strategies has enabled identification and quantification of bacterial and fungal species in vineyards. The aims of this study were to identify mycobiota from Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel (V. vinifera), Carlos and Noble muscadines (V. rotundifolia), Cynthiana (V. aestivalis), and Vignoles hybrid (cross of different Vitis spp.) grapes, and investigate the effect of grape variety, location, and year on grape fungal communities. Grape berries were collected in 2016 and 2017 from four vineyards located in Arkansas. The HTS of the Internal Transcribed Spacer 1 region was used to identify grape indigenous epiphytic and endophytic fungal communities. The predominant genera identified on the Arkansas wine grapes were Uwebraunia, Zymoseptoria, Papiliotrema, Meyerozyma, Filobasidium, and Curvibasidium. Overall, the data suggested that grape fungal community distribution and relative abundance were influenced by grape variety, year, and location, but each was influenced to a different extent. Not only were grape mycobiota influenced by year, variety, and location but also it appeared that communities from the previous year impacted microbial communities the following year. For example, an increase of the mycoparasite Ampelomyces quisqualis was noticed in 2017 on grapes that carried the causal agent of powdery mildew, Erysiphe necator, in 2016, thus, amplifying the importance of vineyard microbiota knowledge for disease management and winemaking.

Year, Location, and Variety Impact on Grape-, Soil-, and Leaf-Associated Fungal Microbiota of Arkansas-Grown Table Grapes.

With the recent advancement of next-generation sequencing methods, there has been an increase in studies on identification of vineyard microbiota, winery-associated microbiota, and microbiota in wine fermentation. However, there have been few studies investigating the fungal microbiota of table grapes which present distinct spoilage and food safety challenges. The aims of this study were to identify and compare the impact of year, variety, and vineyard location on grape, leaf, and soil fungal communities of two varieties of table grapes, Faith and Gratitude, grown in two open-air vineyards and one high tunnel vineyard. The grape, leaf, and soil mycobiota were analyzed using high throughput amplicon sequencing of the ITS region. The sampling year and location of table grapes had an impact on grape, leaf, and soil mycobiota. Fungal diversity of grape, leaf, and soil was greater in 2017 than in 2016. Grape and leaf samples presented strong similarities in fungal communities with abundance of Sporidiobolaceae and Filobasidium in two vineyards and Cladosporium in another one. The high tunnel structure had distinct grape and leaf fungal communities compared to the two other vineyard locations. Mortierella was the predominant genus (27%) in soil samples for the three locations; however, genera of lower abundance varied between locations. These results provide extensive description of fungal communities in less-studied table grape vineyards and high tunnels, providing useful insight of potential threats and preventive strategies to help improve the production and marketability of table grapes.

Physicochemical properties of soy protein hydrolysate and its formulation and stability with encapsulated probiotic under in vitro gastrointestinal environment.

The objective of this study was to prepare protein isolate from defatted soybean and identify an optimal hydrolysis protocol to create improved hydrolysates and ascertain the optimum encapsulation technique for probiotics. Soy protein isolate (SPI) was prepared using an alkaline extraction procedure for solubility within a neutral, beverage-specific pH range. The soy protein hydrolysate (SPH) was prepared from aqueous extracted SPI using pepsin. The physicochemical properties of the SPH were investigated by solubility, degree of hydrolysis (DH), surface hydrophobicity, and electrophoresis. Hydrolysates from 2, 2.5, and 3 hr of hydrolysis time achieved the suitable DH between 2.5% to 5.0%. The 2.5 to 3 hr hydrolysates were also significantly more soluble than SPI at all pH levels from 85% to 95% solubility. Surface hydrophobicity of the hydrolysates ranged from 15 to 20 S0 values. Alginate (1%), resistant starch (2%), and probiotic culture (0.1%) were used as an encapsulation agent to protect probiotics. Alginate microcapsules were observed to be 1 mm in size using environmental scanning electron microscopy. The dried SPH and encapsulated probiotics with alginate in a dry powder formulation were tested for its gastrointestinal resistance and probiotic viability under in vitro simulated digestion. Approximately 1-log decrease was observed for all experimental groups after simulated digestion (final log colony forming units [CFU]/mL range: 6.55 to 6.19) with free probiotics having the lowest log CFU/mL (6.10 ± 0.10) value. No significant difference was observed among experimental groups for probiotic viability (P = 0.445). The findings of this research will provide an understanding of formulation for easily digestible protein and encapsulated probiotics. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The findings of this research provide an understanding of improved formulation for more suitable soy protein hydrolysate and viability of encapsulated probiotics in gastrointestinal environment. Probiotics with the prebiotics in an encapsulated environment provide a technology for the enhancement of probiotics viability and for applications in suitable products for health and wellness.

Draft Genome Sequences of Campylobacter jejuni Strains Isolated from Poultry.

Four wild-type Campylobacter jejuni strains isolated from the cecal contents of broiler chickens were sequenced. The average genome size was 1,622,170 bp, with 1,667 to 1,761 coding sequences and 47 to 51 RNAs. Multiple genes encoding motility, intestinal colonization, toxin production, stress tolerance, and multidrug resistance were present in all the strains.

Gut Microbiota Modulation by Dietary Barley Malt Melanoidins.

Melanoidins are the final Maillard reaction products (protein-carbohydrate complexes) produced in food by prolonged and intense heating. We assessed the impact of the consumption of melanoidins from barley malts on gut microbiota. Seventy-five mice were assigned into five groups, where the control group consumed a non-melanoidin malt diet, and other groups received melanoidin-rich malts in increments of 25% up to 100% melanoidin malts. Feces were sampled at days 0, 1, 2, 3, 7, 14, and 21 and the microbiota was determined using V4 bacterial 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing and short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) by gas chromatography. Increased melanoidins was found to result in significantly divergent gut microbiota profiles and supported sustained SCFA production. The relative abundance of Dorea, Oscillibacter, and Alisitpes were decreased, while Lactobacillus, Parasutterella, Akkermansia, Bifidobacterium, and Barnesiella increased. Bifidobacterium spp. and Akkermansia spp. were significantly increased in mice consuming the highest melanoidin amounts, suggesting remarkable prebiotic potential.

Berry polyphenols metabolism and impact on human gut microbiota and health.

Berries are rich in phenolic compounds such as phenolic acids, flavonols and anthocyanins. These molecules are often reported as being responsible for the health effects attributed to berries. However, their poor bioavailability, mostly influenced by their complex chemical structures, raises the question of their actual direct impact on health. The products of their metabolization, however, may be the most bioactive compounds due to their ability to enter the blood circulation and reach the organs. The main site of metabolization of the complex polyphenols to smaller phenolic compounds is the gut through the action of microorganisms, and reciprocally polyphenols and their metabolites can also modulate the microbial populations. In healthy subjects, these modulations generally lead to an increase in Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus and Akkermansia, therefore suggesting a prebiotic-like effect of the berries or their compounds. Finally, berries have been demonstrated to alleviate symptoms of gut inflammation through the modulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines and have chemopreventive effects towards colon cancer through the regulation of apoptosis, cell proliferation and angiogenesis. This review recapitulates the knowledge available on the interactions between berries polyphenols, gut microbiota and gut health and identifies knowledge gaps for future research.

Plasticity in the Human Gut Microbiome Defies Evolutionary Constraints.

The gut microbiome of primates, including humans, is reported to closely follow host evolutionary history, with gut microbiome composition being specific to the genetic background of its primate host. However, the comparative models used to date have mainly included a limited set of closely related primates. To further understand the forces that shape the primate gut microbiome, with reference to human populations, we expanded the comparative analysis of variation among gut microbiome compositions and their primate hosts, including 9 different primate species and 4 human groups characterized by a diverse set of subsistence patterns (n = 448 samples). The results show that the taxonomic composition of the human gut microbiome, at the genus level, exhibits increased compositional plasticity. Specifically, we show unexpected similarities between African Old World monkeys that rely on eclectic foraging and human populations engaging in nonindustrial subsistence patterns; these similarities transcend host phylogenetic constraints. Thus, instead of following evolutionary trends that would make their microbiomes more similar to that of conspecifics or more phylogenetically similar apes, gut microbiome composition in humans from nonindustrial populations resembles that of generalist cercopithecine monkeys. We also document that wild cercopithecine monkeys with eclectic diets and humans following nonindustrial subsistence patterns harbor high gut microbiome diversity that is not only higher than that seen in humans engaging in industrialized lifestyles but also higher compared to wild primates that typically consume fiber-rich diets.IMPORTANCE The results of this study indicate a discordance between gut microbiome composition and evolutionary history in primates, calling into question previous notions about host genetic control of the primate gut microbiome. Microbiome similarities between humans consuming nonindustrialized diets and monkeys characterized by subsisting on eclectic, omnivorous diets also raise questions about the ecological and nutritional drivers shaping the human gut microbiome. Moreover, a more detailed understanding of the factors associated with gut microbiome plasticity in primates offers a framework to understand why humans following industrialized lifestyles have deviated from states thought to reflect human evolutionary history. The results also provide perspectives for developing therapeutic dietary manipulations that can reset configurations of the gut microbiome to potentially improve human health.

The Response of Litter-Associated Myxomycetes to Long-Term Nutrient Addition in a Lowland Tropical Forest.

Myxomycetes (plasmodial slime molds) are abundant protist predators that feed on bacteria and other microorganisms, thereby playing important roles in terrestrial nutrient cycling. Despite their significance, little is known about myxomycete communities and the extent to which they are affected by nutrient availability. We studied the influence of long-term addition of N, P, and K on the myxomycete community in a lowland forest in the Republic of Panama. In a previous study, microbial biomass increased with P but not N or K addition at this site. We hypothesized that myxomycetes would increase in abundance in response to P but that they would not respond to the sole addition of N or K. Moist chamber cultures of leaf litter and small woody debris were used to quantify myxomycete abundance. We generated the largest myxomycete dataset (3,381 records) for any single locality in the tropics comprised by 91 morphospecies. In line with our hypothesis, myxomycete abundance increased in response to P addition but did not respond to N or K. Community composition was unaffected by nutrient treatments. This work represents one of very few large-scale and long-term field studies to include a heterotrophic protist highlighting the feasibility and value in doing so.