Journal Articles

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    Effects of defatted rice bran-fortified bread on gut microbiome, cardiovascular risk, gut discomfort, wellbeing and gut physiology in healthy adults with low dietary fibre intake
    (Elsevier Ltd on behalf of the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism, 2025-06) Ng HM; Maggo J; Wall CL; Bayer SB; Mullaney JA; Cabrera D; Fraser K; Cooney JM; Günther CS; McNabb WC; Foster M; Frampton C; Gearry RB; Roy NC
    Background & aims: Inadequate dietary fibre (DF) intake is associated with suboptimal gut function and increased risk of several human diseases. Bread is commonly consumed and is ideal to incorporate cereal bran to increase DF content. No human studies have investigated the effects of defatted rice bran (DRB) in bread, which has triple the DF of white bread, purported hypo-allergenicity and a unique nutrient profile, as a dietary intervention in healthy adults. This study aims to assess the relative abundances of a composite of key faecal microbial genera and species involved in DF fermentation and metabolism following the habitual intake of DRB-fortified bread and its influence on other biological markers of host and microbial interactions, cardiovascular risk profile, patient-reported outcomes, total DF intake, and gut physiology in healthy adults with low baseline DF intake. Methods: Fifty-six healthy adults with low baseline DF intake (<18 g/day (females), <22 g/day (males)) completed a two-arm, placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomised, crossover study. Participants consumed three (females) or four (males) slices of DRB-fortified bread or control bread daily as part of their usual diet for four weeks, with the intervention periods separated by a two-week washout. Outcomes included faecal microbiota composite (primary outcome); relative abundances (taxa and gene); faecal moisture content and bile acid concentrations; plasma and faecal organic acid concentrations; cardiovascular risk profile; gut comfort, psychological wellbeing parameters; total DF intake; whole gut transit time, and were measured at baseline and following each intervention phase. Additionally, in a sub-study, 15 participants ingested gas-sensing capsules to assess whole and regional gut transit times, and total and regional colonic hydrogen and carbon dioxide concentrations at the same timepoints. Results: DRB-fortified bread consumption significantly increased total DF intake from 20.7 g/day to 43.4 g/day (p < 0.001). No significant differences were observed in the primary outcome, microbial taxa composite within and between groups (False Discovery Rate (FDR) correction, p > 0.10). As compared to control, the DRB group had increased relative abundances of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii (unadjusted p = 0.04), Bifidobacterium longum (unadjusted p = 0.12), and Bacteroides ovatus (unadjusted p = 0.10); lower relative abundances in Coprococcus genus (unadjusted p = 0.09), Roseburia faecis (unadjusted p = 0.02) and Prevotella copri species (unadjusted p = 0.05). However, no significant differences were observed in the relative abundances of these taxa within and between groups (FDR correction p > 0.10) and for most of the other outcomes between groups (p > 0.05). Only mean serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL) concentrations significantly increased (p = 0.006), and mean total cholesterol (TC) to HDL concentration ratio significantly lowered (p = 0.02) in the DRB group compared to the control group. Conclusion: This is the first human study to show that a high-DF DRB-fortified bread improved DF intake, HDL cholesterol profiles, and may affect the gut microbiota composition in healthy adults with low DF intake. These findings support the substitution of white bread with DRB-fortified bread as an effective method to improve DF intake, which may have subsequent benefits on gut physiology and metabolic health.
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    A period of 10 weeks of increased protein consumption does not alter faecal microbiota or volatile metabolites in healthy older men: a randomised controlled trial
    (Cambridge University Press on behalf of The Nutrition Society, 2020-07-02) Mitchell SM; McKenzie EJ; Mitchell CJ; Milan AM; Zeng N; D'Souza RF; Ramzan F; Sharma P; Rettedal E; Knowles SO; Roy NC; Sjödin A; Wagner K-H; O'Sullivan JM; Cameron-Smith D
    Diet has a major influence on the composition and metabolic output of the gut microbiome. Higher-protein diets are often recommended for older consumers; however, the effect of high-protein diets on the gut microbiota and faecal volatile organic compounds (VOC) of elderly participants is unknown. The purpose of the study was to establish if the faecal microbiota composition and VOC in older men are different after a diet containing the recommended dietary intake (RDA) of protein compared with a diet containing twice the RDA (2RDA). Healthy males (74⋅2 (sd 3⋅6) years; n 28) were randomised to consume the RDA of protein (0⋅8 g protein/kg body weight per d) or 2RDA, for 10 weeks. Dietary protein was provided via whole foods rather than supplementation or fortification. The diets were matched for dietary fibre from fruit and vegetables. Faecal samples were collected pre- and post-intervention for microbiota profiling by 16S ribosomal RNA amplicon sequencing and VOC analysis by head space/solid-phase microextraction/GC-MS. After correcting for multiple comparisons, no significant differences in the abundance of faecal microbiota or VOC associated with protein fermentation were evident between the RDA and 2RDA diets. Therefore, in the present study, a twofold difference in dietary protein intake did not alter gut microbiota or VOC indicative of altered protein fermentation.
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    Biotransformation of Rutin in In Vitro Porcine Ileal and Colonic Fermentation Models
    (American Chemical Society, 2023-08-23) Ulluwishewa D; Montoya CA; Mace L; Rettedal EA; Fraser K; McNabb WC; Moughan PJ; Roy NC
    Quercetin, a polyphenol antioxidant, is widely distributed in food in the form of glycoside rutin, which is not readily absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract. The microbiota of the colon is known to biotransform rutin, generating quercetin aglycones that can be absorbed. We investigated the role of the ileal and colonic microbiota in rutin biotransformation using established in vitro fermentation models. Overall, a higher rate of rutin biotransformation was observed during colonic fermentation compared with ileal fermentation. The colonic microbiome showed higher potential for rutin conversion to quercetin through an increased abundance of α-rhamnosidase- and β-glucosidase-encoding genes compared to the ileal microbiome. Nonetheless, rutin metabolism occurred rapidly during ileal fermentation (∼20% rutin disappearance after 1 h). The appearance of quercetin varied depending on the ileal inoculum and correlated with an increased abundance of Firmicutes, suggesting that quercetin absorption could be improved via modulation of the ileal microbiota.