Next Article in Journal
Rediscovering Citrus lumia ‘Pyriformis’: Phytochemical Profile and Multifunctional Properties of Its Fresh Juice
Previous Article in Journal
Inhibitory Effects and Mechanisms of Flavonoids in Sea Buckthornon (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) on Helicobacter pylori
Previous Article in Special Issue
Bioprocessing of Grape Pomace for the Development of a Nutraceutical Formulation: Bridging Winemaking By-Products and Functional Innovation
 
 
Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
Journals
Foods
Volume 14
Issue 23
10.3390/foods14233996
foods-logo
Submit to this Journal Review for this Journal Propose a Special Issue
► Article Menu

Article Menu

share Share announcement Help format_quote Cite question_answer Discuss in SciProfiles
first_page
settings
Order Article Reprints
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Dietary Intervention with Resistant Starch-Rich Unripe Plantain Flour Restores Gut Microbiome–Metabolome Axis and Ameliorates Type 2 Diabetes in Rats

by
Jinfeng Fu
1,2,†,
Cancan Liu
1,†,
Shiyun Tu
1,2,
Hongjie Liu
1,
Zixin Liu
1,
Weidi He
1,
Lu Dong
2,
Ganjun Yi
1,
Yiji Xia
3,
Juan Wang
2,* and
Ou Sheng
1,*
1
Institute of Fruit Tree Research, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences; Key Laboratory of South Subtropical Fruit Biology and Genetic Resource Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Science and Technology Research on Fruit Tree, Guangzhou 510640, China
2
School of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641, China
3
Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong 999077, China
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
These authors contributed equally to this work.
Foods 2025, 14(23), 3996; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14233996
Submission received: 28 September 2025 / Revised: 16 November 2025 / Accepted: 19 November 2025 / Published: 21 November 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Functional Foods, Nutraceuticals, and Food Supplements in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Plantain (Musa spp., AAB group) possesses a complex triploid genetics originating from interspecific hybridization, which underlies its agronomic traits and nutritional composition, making it a vital global staple food crop. Unripe plantain flour (UPF), a rich source of resistant starch (RS), has demonstrated anti-diabetic properties in diabetic rats, yet its mechanisms of action remain unclear. This study investigated whether unripe plantain flour attenuates type 2 diabetic traits in rats made diabetic with a high-fat diet plus streptozotocin through regulation of the gut microbiome–metabolome axis, including short-chain fatty acids and bile acids. We found that UPF intervention significantly ameliorated gut microbiota dysbiosis. It enriched beneficial bacteria, particularly SCFA producers (Lachnoclostridium, Blautia, Butyricicoccus) and others (Bifidobacterium, Akkermansia), while inhibiting harmful genera (Romboutsia, Allobaculum). Consequently, UPF altered bile-acid composition by lowering hydrophobic species (e.g., cholic acid and deoxycholic acid) while elevating hydrophilic species (e.g., ursodeoxycholic acid and tauroursodeoxycholic acid). It also enhanced the excretion of secondary bile acids (lithocholic acid). These coordinated changes in the gut ecosystem are conducive to improved glycolipid metabolism. Spearman correlation analysis further reinforced the close relationships between the altered microbiota and metabolites. Our results elucidate that UPF exerts its anti-diabetic effects by remodeling the gut microbiota and modulating its associated metabolites, highlighting a novel dietary intervention strategy for diabetes management.
Keywords: unripe plantain flour; gut microbiota; diabetes mellitus; short-chain fatty acids; bile acids; type 2 diabetes unripe plantain flour; gut microbiota; diabetes mellitus; short-chain fatty acids; bile acids; type 2 diabetes

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Fu, J.; Liu, C.; Tu, S.; Liu, H.; Liu, Z.; He, W.; Dong, L.; Yi, G.; Xia, Y.; Wang, J.; et al. Dietary Intervention with Resistant Starch-Rich Unripe Plantain Flour Restores Gut Microbiome–Metabolome Axis and Ameliorates Type 2 Diabetes in Rats. Foods 2025, 14, 3996. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14233996

AMA Style

Fu J, Liu C, Tu S, Liu H, Liu Z, He W, Dong L, Yi G, Xia Y, Wang J, et al. Dietary Intervention with Resistant Starch-Rich Unripe Plantain Flour Restores Gut Microbiome–Metabolome Axis and Ameliorates Type 2 Diabetes in Rats. Foods. 2025; 14(23):3996. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14233996

Chicago/Turabian Style

Fu, Jinfeng, Cancan Liu, Shiyun Tu, Hongjie Liu, Zixin Liu, Weidi He, Lu Dong, Ganjun Yi, Yiji Xia, Juan Wang, and et al. 2025. "Dietary Intervention with Resistant Starch-Rich Unripe Plantain Flour Restores Gut Microbiome–Metabolome Axis and Ameliorates Type 2 Diabetes in Rats" Foods 14, no. 23: 3996. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14233996

APA Style

Fu, J., Liu, C., Tu, S., Liu, H., Liu, Z., He, W., Dong, L., Yi, G., Xia, Y., Wang, J., & Sheng, O. (2025). Dietary Intervention with Resistant Starch-Rich Unripe Plantain Flour Restores Gut Microbiome–Metabolome Axis and Ameliorates Type 2 Diabetes in Rats. Foods, 14(23), 3996. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14233996

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop