Combined effect of atmospheric gas plasma and UVA light: A sustainable and green alternative for chemical decontamination and microbial inactivation of fish processing water.

The simultaneous use of UVA light irradiation coupled with low energy cold plasma generated by a dielectric barrier discharge prototype, results in significant enhancement of efficiency of the integrated process with respect to the sole plasma treatment. This effect has been demonstrated both on microbial inactivation of a food-borne pathogen, i.e. Listeria monocytogenes, and on the degradation of a compound of biological origin such as phenylalanine. In the latter case, the analysis of its reaction intermediates and the spectroscopic identification and quantification of peroxynitrites, allowed to propose mechanistic hypotheses on the nature of the observed synergistic effects. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that the process does not affect the quality of trout fillets, indicating its suitability as a chlorine-free, green, and sustainable tool for the decontamination of fish processing water.

Isolation and Identification of Wild Yeast from Malaysian Grapevine and Evaluation of Their Potential Antimicrobial Activity against Grapevine Fungal Pathogens.

Pathogenic fungi belonging to the genera Botrytis, Phaeomoniella, Fusarium, Alternaria and Aspergillus are responsible for vines diseases that affect the growth, grapevine yield and organoleptic quality. Among innovative strategies for in-field plant disease control, one of the most promising is represented by biocontrol agents, including wild epiphytic yeast strains of grapevine berries. Twenty wild yeast, isolated and molecularly identified from three different Malaysian regions (Perlis, Perak and Pahang), were evaluated in a preliminary screening test on agar to select isolates with inhibition against Botrytis cinerea. On the basis of the results, nine yeasts belonging to genera Hanseniaspora, Starmerella, Metschnikowia, Candida were selected and then tested against five grape berry pathogens: Aspergillus carbonarius, Aspergillus ochraceus, Fusarium oxysporum, Alternaria alternata and Phaeomoniella chlamydospora.Starmerella bacillaris FE08.05 and Metschnikowia pulcherrima GP8 and Hanseniaspora uvarum GM19 showed the highest effect on inhibiting mycelial growth, which ranged between 15.1 and 4.3 mm for the inhibition ring. The quantitative analysis of the volatile organic compound profiles highlighted the presence of isoamyl and phenylethyl alcohols and an overall higher presence of low-chain fatty acids and volatile ethyl esters. The results of this study suggest that antagonist yeasts, potentially effective for the biological control of pathogenic moulds, can be found among the epiphytic microbiota associated with grape berries.

High-Pressure Homogenization and Biocontrol Agent as Innovative Approaches Increase Shelf Life and Functionality of Carrot Juice.

Recently, application of high-pressure homogenization (HPH) treatments has been widely studied to improve shelf life and rheological and functional properties of vegetable and fruit juices. Another approach that has drawn the attention of researchers is the use of biocontrol cultures. Nevertheless, no data on their possible combined effect on fruit juices shelf life and functionality have been published yet. In this work, the microbial, organoleptic, and technological stability of extremely perishable carrot juice and its functionality were monitored for 12 and 7 days (stored at 4 and 10 °C, respectively) upon HPH treatment alone or in combination with a fermentation step using the biocontrol agent L. lactis LBG2. HPH treatment at 150 MPa for three passes followed by fermentation with L. lactis LBG2 extended the microbiological shelf life of the products of at least three and seven days when stored at 10 °C and 4 °C, respectively, compared to untreated or only HPH-treated samples. Moreover, the combined treatments determined a higher stability of pH and color values, and a better retention of ß-carotene and lutein throughout the shelf-life period when compared to unfermented samples. Eventually, use of combined HPH and LBG2 resulted in the production of compounds having positive sensory impact on carrot juice.

Supplementation with Bifidobacterium breve BR03 and B632 strains improved insulin sensitivity in children and adolescents with obesity in a cross-over, randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Variations in gut microbiota might impact metabolism leading to body weight excess. We assessed the impact of a probiotic supplementation in pediatric obesity on weight, metabolic alterations, selected gut microbial groups, and functionality. METHODS: Cross-over, double-blind, randomized control trial (BIFI-OBESE trial; NCT03261466). 101 youths (6-18 years, Tanner stage ≥2) with obesity and insulin-resistance on diet were randomized to 2 × 109 CFU/AFU/day of Bifidobacterium breve BR03 (DSM 16604) and B. breve B632 (DSM 24706) (51) or placebo (50) for 8 weeks with a 4-weeks wash-out period. RESULTS: All subjects (M/F 54/47) completed the first 8 weeks, and 82 (M/F 43/39) the last part without adverse events. Mixed-effects models revealed a carry-over effect on many variables in the entire study, narrowing the analysis to the first 8 weeks before the wash-out periods. All subjects improved metabolic parameters, and decreased weight and Escherichia coli counts. Probiotics improved insulin sensitivity at fasting (QUICKI, 0.013 CI95%0.0-0.03) and during OGTT (ISI, 0.654 CI95%-0.11-1.41). Cytokines, GLP1, and target microbial counts did not vary. Of 25 SCFAs, acetic acid and acetic acid pentyl-ester relative abundance remained stable in the probiotics, while increased in the placebo (p < 0.02). A signature of five butanoic esters identified three clusters, one of them had better glucose responses during probiotics. CONCLUSION: An 8 weeks treatment with B. breve BR03 and B632 had beneficial effects on insulin sensitivity in youths with obesity. Microbiota functionality could influence metabolic answers to probiotics. Long-term studies to confirm and enrich our findings are justified. Tailored probiotic treatments could be an additional strategy for obesity. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT03261466.

WHOLE-meal ancient wheat-based diet: Effect on metabolic parameters and microbiota.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Ancient wheat varieties are considered to be healthier than modern ones, but the data are not univocal. We investigated changes in hematochemical parameters and evaluated microbiota data before and after a set period on a diet containing a whole-meal ancient wheat mix. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 29 cloistered nuns were recruited. The study comprised two consecutive 30-day periods; during the first one (T1), the nuns received wheat-based foods produced with refined "modern" flour ("Simeto"); during the second one (T2) received wheat-based foods produced with an unrefined flour mix composed of "ancient" cultivars. At entry to the study (T0) and at the end of T1 and T2 hematochemical parameters and fecal microbiota and metabolome were evaluated. RESULTS: At the end of T2, there was a significant reduction in serum iron, ferritin, creatinine, sodium, potassium, magnesium, total cholesterol, LDL- and HDL-cholesterol and folic acid. Furthermore, increased the abundance of cultivable enterococci, lactic acid bacteria and total anaerobes. The ability of the gut microbiome to metabolize carbohydrates increased after the period of diet containing ancient grain products. Several volatile organic compounds increased after the one month on the diet enriched with ancient grain products. CONCLUSIONS: Our data showed the beneficial effects deriving from a diet including ancient whole-meal/unrefined wheat flours.

Influence of non-phosphate and low-sodium salt marination in combination with tumbling process on properties of chicken breast meat affected by white striping abnormality.

This study investigated the effects of non-phosphate and low-sodium (NPLS) marination on properties of white striping chicken breasts (WSCB). Chicken breasts were collected from slaughterhouse and classified as normal (NCB, n = 24) and severe WS (WSCB, n = 120). Sixty WSCB samples were vacuum-tumbled (30 min, 2 °C) with NPLS solution, containing 2.8% (w/v) potassium bicarbonate, 2.9% (w/v) potassium chloride, and 1.5% (w/v) sorbitol at the ratio of meat-to-marinade of 4 to 1 (w/w). The other 60 WSCB received no marination were assigned as nonmarinated WSCB. Properties of marinated (n = 12) and nonmarinated (n = 12) WSCB samples were determined at 0, 3, 7, 10, and 14 days of the storage at 4 °C. Properties of the NCB were also determined on day 0. Concerning day 0, the marinated WSCB exhibited higher (p < 0.05) pH, moisture content, total cooked yield, protein solubility, hardness, cohesiveness, and chewiness along with lower (p < 0.05) cooked loss, expressible water, and shear force than those of nonmarinated WSCB and NCB. Based on nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, bound, intra-myofibrillar, and extra-myofibrillar water of cooked marinated WSCB were greater (p < 0.05) than those of cooked nonmarinated WSCB. The greater (p < 0.05) weight loss, moisture content, and total cooking yield were observed in marinated samples compared to those of nonmarinated WSCB throughout the storage period. Although microbial stability was reduced (p < 0.05), no difference (p ≥ 0.05) in lipid oxidation was detected between the treatments. The findings suggest the NPLS marination as a promising process for improving water holding capacity of the WSCB. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This study presents the promising application of non-phosphate, low-sodium (NPLS) marination combined with vacuum-tumbling in improving water holding capacity of chicken breast meat affected with white striping condition. Although microbial stability of the marinated breast was negatively affected, no adverse impacts on lipid oxidation was observed during storage up to 14 days.

Diet influences the functions of the human intestinal microbiome.

Gut microbes programme their metabolism to suit intestinal conditions and convert dietary components into a panel of small molecules that ultimately affect host physiology. To unveil what is behind the effects of key dietary components on microbial functions and the way they modulate host-microbe interaction, we used for the first time a multi-omic approach that goes behind the mere gut phylogenetic composition and provides an overall picture of the functional repertoire in 27 fecal samples from omnivorous, vegan and vegetarian volunteers. Based on our data, vegan and vegetarian diets were associated to the highest abundance of microbial genes/proteins responsible for cell motility, carbohydrate- and protein-hydrolyzing enzymes, transport systems and the synthesis of essential amino acids and vitamins. A positive correlation was observed when intake of fiber and the relative fecal abundance of flagellin were compared. Microbial cells and flagellin extracted from fecal samples of 61 healthy donors modulated the viability of the human (HT29) colon carcinoma cells and the host response through the stimulation of the expression of Toll-like receptor 5, lectin RegIIIα and three interleukins (IL-8, IL-22 and IL-23). Our findings concretize a further and relevant milestone on how the diet may prevent/mitigate disease risk.

Comparative proteomic analysis of foodborne Salmonella Enteritidis SE86 subjected to cold plasma treatment.

The increasing demand for high quality and safe food led to important technological innovations in food processing. Cold plasma appears as an emerging technology that has demonstrated efficiency in the removal of microbial contamination from fresh and minimally processed food. In this study, the proteomic profile of Salmonella Enteritidis SE86 subjected to cold plasma treatment was investigated. The number of viable S. Enteritidis SE86 cells was analyzed at different time intervals upon exposure to cold plasma and approximately 100 µg of S. Enteritidis SE86 protein extracts were analyzed by Multidimensional Protein Identification Technology (MudPIT). The results demonstrated that no significant changes in cell counts were detected for up to 20 min exposure to cold plasma, and 2 log reduction was achieved after 60 min. Overall, 1096 proteins were identified, with 249 detected only in plasma-treated samples, and 9 exclusive in non-treated control samples. The proteins uniquely detected in cold plasma-treated cells that showed higher abundance were glyoxalase I, ABC transporter substrate-binding protein and transcriptional activator OsmE, followed by some oxidoreductases. Proteins related with carbohydrate and nucleotide metabolism were mostly overexpressed in cold plasma treated cells, suggesting energy metabolism was increased.

Fermented Nut-Based Vegan Food: Characterization of a Home made Product and Scale-Up to an Industrial Pilot-Scale Production.

Because of the impossibility to consume food of animal origin, vegan consumers are looking for substitutes that could enrich their diet. Among many substitutes, fermented nut products are made from different nut types and obtained after soaking, grinding, and fermentation. Although other fermented vegetable products have been deeply investigated, there are few data about the fermentative processes of nut-based products and the microbial consortia able to colonize these products are not yet studied. This study characterized a hand-made vegan product obtained from cashew nut. Lactic acid bacteria responsible for fermentation were identified, revealing a succession of hetero- and homo-fermentative species during process. Successively, some lactic acid bacteria isolates from the home-made vegan product were used for a pilot-scale fermentation. The products obtained were characterized and showed features similar to the home-made one, although the microbiological hazards have been prevented through proper and rapid acidification, enhancing their safety features. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Spontaneous fermented products are valuable sources of microorganisms that can be used in many food processes as starter cultures. The lactic acid bacteria isolated in this research can be exploited by industries to develop new foods and therefore to enter new markets. The use of selected starter cultures guarantees good organoleptic characteristics and food safety (no growth of pathogens).

Geochemistry and microbial diversity of cave waters in the gypsum karst aquifers of Emilia Romagna region, Italy.

Fifty-seven control points of waters (sinking streams, rivers in caves, and resurgences) hosted in gypsum karst areas in Emilia Romagna region (N-Italy) were sampled in the framework of a Project LIFE+08NAT/IT/000369 "Gypsum" in the period 2010-2014. The microbiology and chemistry of these waters have been analyzed to evaluate the impact of human activities or natural factors, in the gypsum karst systems. Waters have been analyzed for major chemistry (Ca, Mg, Na, K, SO4, HCO3, Cl, NO3) and some minor constituents (F, Br, NH4 and PO4), measuring pH, electric conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS) and temperature (T) in situ. The same samples have been analyzed with traditional microbiology techniques focused on total microbial count and on fecal microbiota, as index of human and/or animal contamination, and molecular biology techniques (sequencing of 16S rRNA segment and PCR-DGGE), focused on the characterization of microbial populations in the different sampling sites and determination of their variations and/or changes during the five years of the project. As expected, waters tend to be increasingly mineralized from sinking streams to resurgences, with only local and temporarily high contents in nitrates and ammonium, often related to the presence of bat colonies. PCR-DGGE revealed ecological changes, in terms of microbial populations present in the bulk water samples, in different sampling sites within the same cave. Although the impact of fecal microorganisms only rarely exceeded 2 log UFC/ml, the results evidenced fluctuations of these microorganisms mainly correlated to the season and to the biological activity of bats.

Salivary and fecal microbiota and metabolome of celiac children under gluten-free diet.

Celiac disease (CD) is an inflammatory autoimmune disorder resulting from the combination of genetic predisposition and gluten ingestion. A life-long gluten free diet (GFD) is the only therapeutic approach. Dysbiosis, which can precede the CD pathogenesis and/or persist when subjects are on GFD, is reviewed and discussed. Salivary microbiota and metabolome differed between healthy and celiac children treated under GFD (T-CD) for at least two years. The type of GFD (African- vs Italian-style) modified the microbiota and metabolome of Saharawi T-CD children. Different studies showed bacterial dysbiosis at duodenal and/or fecal level of patients with active untreated CD (U-CD) and T-CD compared to healthy subjects. The ratio of protective anti-inflammatory bacteria such as Lactobacillus-Bifidobacterium to potentially harmful Bacteroides-Enterobacteriaceae was the lowest in U-CD and T-CD children. In agreement with dysbiosis, serum, fecal and urinary metabolome from U-CD and T-CD patients showed altered levels of free amino acids and volatile organic compounds. However, consensus across studies defining specific bacteria and metabolites in U-CD or T-CD patients is still lacking. Future research efforts are required to determine the relationships between CD and oral and intestinal microbiotas to improve the composition of GFD for restoring the gut dysbiosis as a preventative or therapeutic approach for CD.

High-level adherence to a Mediterranean diet beneficially impacts the gut microbiota and associated metabolome.

OBJECTIVES: Habitual diet plays a major role in shaping the composition of the gut microbiota, and also determines the repertoire of microbial metabolites that can influence the host. The typical Western diet corresponds to that of an omnivore; however, the Mediterranean diet (MD), common in the Western Mediterranean culture, is to date a nutritionally recommended dietary pattern that includes high-level consumption of cereals, fruit, vegetables and legumes. To investigate the potential benefits of the MD in this cross-sectional survey, we assessed the gut microbiota and metabolome in a cohort of Italian individuals in relation to their habitual diets. DESIGN AND RESULTS: We retrieved daily dietary information and assessed gut microbiota and metabolome in 153 individuals habitually following omnivore, vegetarian or vegan diets. The majority of vegan and vegetarian subjects and 30% of omnivore subjects had a high adherence to the MD. We were able to stratify individuals according to both diet type and adherence to the MD on the basis of their dietary patterns and associated microbiota. We detected significant associations between consumption of vegetable-based diets and increased levels of faecal short-chain fatty acids, Prevotella and some fibre-degrading Firmicutes, whose role in human gut warrants further research. Conversely, we detected higher urinary trimethylamine oxide levels in individuals with lower adherence to the MD. CONCLUSIONS: High-level consumption of plant foodstuffs consistent with an MD is associated with beneficial microbiome-related metabolomic profiles in subjects ostensibly consuming a Western diet. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: This study was registered at clinical trials.gov as NCT02118857.

Micromeria thymifolia Essential Oil Suppresses Quorum-sensing Signaling in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

The chemical composition, antimicrobial and antiquorum sensing activity of the essential oil of Micromeria thymifolia (Scop.) Fritsch were investigated. Limonene, piperitone epoxide and piperitenone epoxide were found as the main constituents using a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry technique. In vitro antimicrobial activity of the oil was tested against six bacterial and seven fungal strains and high antimicrobial potential was noticed. Minimum inhibitory concentration varied from 0.031 mg/mL to 0.5 mg/mL for bacterial and 0.062 mg/mL to 0.5 mg/mL for fungal strains. The antiquorum properties of the essentidl oil were evaluated on Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO 1. The oil was tested at subMIC concentrations for anti-quorum sensing activity. The analyses on quorum-sensing functions have been carried out by evaluating twitching and swarming of bacterial cultures and the total amount of pyocyanin production produced by P. aeruginosa. This study showed that M thymifolia essential oil exhibited antiquorum sensing activity and may be used as an antipathogenic drug.

From an imbalance to a new imbalance: Italian-style gluten-free diet alters the salivary microbiota and metabolome of African celiac children.

Fourteen Saharawi celiac children following an African-style gluten-free diet for at least two years were subjected to a change of diet to an Italian-style gluten-free diet for 60 days. Significant differences were identified in the salivary microbiota and metabolome when Saharawi celiac children switched from African- to Italian-style dietary habits. An Italian-style gluten-free diet caused increases in the abundance of Granulicatella, Porphyromonas and Neisseria and decreases in Clostridium, Prevotella and Veillonella, altering the 'salivary type' of the individuals. Furthermore, operational taxonomic unit co-occurrence/exclusion patterns indicated that the initial equilibrium of co-occurring microbial species was perturbed by a change in diet: the microbial diversity was reduced, with a few species out-competing the previously established microbiota and becoming dominant. Analysis of predicted metagenomes revealed a remarkable change in the metabolic potential of the microbiota following the diet change, with increased potential for amino acid, vitamin and co-factor metabolism. High concentrations of acetone and 2-butanone during treatment with the Italian-style gluten-free diet suggested metabolic dysfunction in the Saharawi celiac children. The findings of this study support the need for a translational medicine pipeline to examine interactions between food and microbiota when evaluating human development, nutritional needs and the impact and consequences of westernisation.

Cell membrane fatty acid changes and desaturase expression of Saccharomyces bayanus exposed to high pressure homogenization in relation to the supplementation of exogenous unsaturated fatty acids.

AIMS: The aim of this work was to study the responses of Saccharomyces bayanus cells exposed to sub-lethal high-pressure homogenization (HPH) and determine whether the plasmatic membrane can sense HPH in the presence, or absence, of exogenous unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs) in the growth medium. METHODS AND RESULTS: High-pressure homogenization damaged and caused the collapse of cell walls and membranes of a portion of cells; however, HPH did not significantly affect S. bayanus cell viability (less than 0.3 Log CFU ml(-1)). HPH strongly affected the membrane fatty acid (FA) composition by increasing the percentage of total UFA when compared with saturated fatty acids. The gene expression showed that the transcription of OLE1, ERG3, and ERG11 increased after HPH. The presence of exogenous UFA abolished HPH-induced effects on the OLE1 and ERG3 genes, increased the percentage of membrane lipids and decreased the expression of OLE1 and ERG3 within 30 min of treatment. CONCLUSION: The results suggest a key role for UFA in the microbial cell response to sub-lethal stress. In addition, these data provide insight into the molecular basis of the response of S. bayanus to this innovative technology. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Elucidation of the mechanism of action for sub-lethal HPH will enable the utilization of this technology to modulate the starter performance at the industrial scale.

Effect of Whole-Grain Barley on the Human Fecal Microbiota and Metabolome.

In this study, we compared the fecal microbiota and metabolomes of 26 healthy subjects before (HS) and after (HSB) 2 months of diet intervention based on the administration of durum wheat flour and whole-grain barley pasta containing the minimum recommended daily intake (3 g) of barley ß-glucans. Metabolically active bacteria were analyzed through pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA gene and community-level catabolic profiles. Pyrosequencing data showed that levels of Clostridiaceae (Clostridium orbiscindens and Clostridium sp.), Roseburia hominis, and Ruminococcus sp. increased, while levels of other Firmicutes and Fusobacteria decreased, from the HSB samples to the HS fecal samples. Community-level catabolic profiles were lower in HSB samples. Compared to the results for HS samples, cultivable lactobacilli increased in HSB fecal samples, while the numbers of Enterobacteriaceae, total coliforms, and Bacteroides, Porphyromonas, Prevotella, Pseudomonas, Alcaligenes, and Aeromonas bacteria decreased. Metabolome analyses were performed using an amino acid analyzer and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry solid-phase microextraction. A marked increase in short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), such as 2-methyl-propanoic, acetic, butyric, and propionic acids, was found in HSB samples with respect to the HS fecal samples. Durum wheat flour and whole-grain barley pasta containing 3% barley ß-glucans appeared to be effective in modulating the composition and metabolic pathways of the intestinal microbiota, leading to an increased level of SCFA in the HSB samples.

Fecal Microbiota in Healthy Subjects Following Omnivore, Vegetarian and Vegan Diets: Culturable Populations and rRNA DGGE Profiling.

In this study, the fecal microbiota of 153 healthy volunteers, recruited from four different locations in Italy, has been studied by coupling viable counts, on different microbiological media, with ribosomal RNA Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (rRNA-DGGE). The volunteers followed three different diets, namely omnivore, ovo-lacto-vegetarian and vegan. The results obtained from culture-dependent and -independent methods have underlined a high level of similarity of the viable fecal microbiota for the three investigated diets. The rRNA DGGE profiles were very complex and comprised a total number of bands that varied from 67 to 64 for the V3 and V9 regions of the 16S rRNA gene, respectively. Only a few bands were specific in/of all three diets, and the presence of common taxa associated with the dietary habits was found. As far as the viable counts are concerned, the high similarity of the fecal microbiota was once again confirmed, with only a few of the investigated groups showing significant differences. Interestingly, the samples grouped differently, according to the recruitment site, thus highlighting a higher impact of the food consumed by the volunteers in the specific geographical locations than that of the type of diet. Lastly, it should be mentioned that the fecal microbiota DGGE profiles obtained from the DNA were clearly separated from those produced using RNA, thus underlining a difference between the total and viable populations in the fecal samples.

The same microbiota and a potentially discriminant metabolome in the saliva of omnivore, ovo-lacto-vegetarian and Vegan individuals.

The salivary microbiota has been linked to both oral and non-oral diseases. Scant knowledge is available on the effect of environmental factors such as long-term dietary choices on the salivary microbiota and metabolome. This study analyzed the microbial diversity and metabolomic profiles of the saliva of 161 healthy individuals who followed an omnivore or ovo-lacto-vegetarian or vegan diet. A large core microbiota was identified, including 12 bacterial genera, found in >98% of the individuals. The subjects could be stratified into three "salivary types" that differed on the basis of the relative abundance of the core genera Prevotella, Streptococcus/Gemella and Fusobacterium/Neisseria. Statistical analysis indicated no effect of dietary habit on the salivary microbiota. Phylogenetic beta-diversity analysis consistently showed no differences between omnivore, ovo-lacto-vegetarian and vegan individuals. Metabolomic profiling of saliva using (1)H-NMR and GC-MS/SPME identified diet-related biomarkers that enabled a significant discrimination between the 3 groups of individuals on the basis of their diet. Formate, urea, uridine and 5-methyl-3-hexanone could discriminate samples from omnivores, whereas 1-propanol, hexanoic acid and proline were characteristic of non-omnivore diets. Although the salivary metabolome can be discriminating for diet, the microbiota has a remarkable inter-individual stability and did not vary with dietary habits. Microbial homeostasis might be perturbed with sub-standard oral hygiene or other environmental factors, but there is no current indication that a choice of an omnivore, ovo-lacto-vegetarian or vegan diet can lead to a specific composition of the oral microbiota with consequences on the oral homeostasis.

Microbiota and metabolome associated with immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN).

This study aimed at investigating the fecal microbiota, and the fecal and urinary metabolome of non progressor (NP) and progressor (P) patients with immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN). Three groups of volunteers were included in the study: (i) sixteen IgAN NP patients; (ii) sixteen IgAN P patients; and (iii) sixteen healthy control (HC) subjects, without known diseases. Selective media were used to determine the main cultivable bacterial groups. Bacterial tag-encoded FLX-titanium amplicon pyrosequencing of the 16S rDNA and 16S rRNA was carried out to determine total and metabolically active bacteria, respectively. Biochrom 30 series amino acid analyzer and gas-chromatography mass spectrometry/solid-phase microextraction (GC-MS/SPME) analyses were mainly carried out for metabolomic analyses. As estimated by rarefaction, Chao and Shannon diversity index, the lowest microbial diversity was found in P patients. Firmicutes increased in the fecal samples of NP and, especially, P patients due to the higher percentages of some genera/species of Ruminococcaceae, Lachnospiraceae, Eubacteriaceae and Streptococcaeae. With a few exceptions, species of Clostridium, Enterococcus and Lactobacillus genera were found at the highest levels in HC. Bacteroidaceae, Porphyromonadaceae, Prevotellaceae and Rikenellaceae families differed among NP, P and HC subjects. Sutterellaceae and Enterobacteriaceae species were almost the highest in the fecal samples of NP and/or P patients. Compared to HC subjects, Bifidobacterium species decreased in the fecal samples of NP and P. As shown by multivariate statistical analyses, the levels of metabolites (free amino acids and organic volatile compounds) from fecal and urinary samples markedly differentiated NP and, especially, P patients.