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Metabolites
Special Issues
Enriching the Gut Microbial Functionality through Daily Meals
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Enriching the Gut Microbial Functionality through Daily Meals

A special issue of Metabolites (ISSN 2218-1989). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Metabolomics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2025) | Viewed by 8911

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Michihiro Fukushima

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Research Department of Life & Food Sciences, Obihiro University of Agriculture & Veterinary Medicin, Obihiro, Japan
Interests: prebiotics; probiotics; resistant starch; dietary fiber; peptides; polyphenols; antioxidants; intestinal immune function; intestinal environment
Dr. Samanthi Pelpolage

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Research Department of Life & Food Sciences, Obihiro University of Agriculture & Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
Interests: structure-function relationship of starch; thermal processing of starch; resistant starch; functional food development; microbiome

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The versatility of the multifaced biochemical, hormonal, neural and immunological effects mediated by the gut microbiota, and their metabolites in every nook and corner of the body, even reaching the brain, has kept the spark lit for research on gut microbiota since it was first studied. The evolution of omics, related cutting-edge technologies and integration with data science have transformed gut microbiota research toward disease diagnostics, precision nutrition, personalized nutrition and gut bacterial transplants aiming for more specifically defined health goals. However, the concept of “you are what you eat” holds its grounds even today in gut microbiome research; thus, gut bacterial modulation through natural bioactive substances in agricultural products, processed foods and agricultural by-products would still be the economically and environmentally most sustainable means of gut bacterial modulation toward beneficial health outcomes. As such, this Special Issue aims to publish original research articles, reviews, short communications and method publications on the identification, isolation and characterization of new natural prebiotics; improved extraction methods for prebiotics; processing methods to enhance the prebiotic potential of processed foods; identification and characterization of new postbiotics; elucidation of metabolic pathways for the gut bacterial metabolism of prebiotics; and disease amelioration effects of prebiotics.  

Dr. Michihiro Fukushima
Dr. Samanthi Pelpolage
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Metabolites is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • dietary-resistant food components
  • intestinal fermentation
  • gut microbial modulation
  • metabolic pathways
  • postbiotics
  • food processing methods
  • characterization of new prebiotic substances
  • structure–function relationships
  • in vitro studies
  • in vivo studies
  • metabolic disorders

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 902 KiB  
Article
Role of Dietary Ceramide 2-Aminoethylphosphonate on Aberrant Crypt Foci Formation and Colon Inflammation in 1,2-Dimethylhydrazine-Treated Mice: A Comparison with the Role of Sphingomyelin
by Shinji Yamashita, Wakaba Yutani, Maho Sugimoto, Kazuo Miyashita and Mikio Kinoshita
Metabolites 2025, 15(3), 147; https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo15030147 - 21 Feb 2025
Viewed by 844
Abstract
Background: Ceramide 2-aminoethylphosphonate (CAEP), a major sphingolipid class in mollusks, possesses unique structures that are not observed in other sphingolipids. CAEP has a carbon–phosphorus bond and unusual long-chain bases (LCBs). CAEP has been reported to exhibit nutritional functions, such as improving skin [...] Read more.
Background: Ceramide 2-aminoethylphosphonate (CAEP), a major sphingolipid class in mollusks, possesses unique structures that are not observed in other sphingolipids. CAEP has a carbon–phosphorus bond and unusual long-chain bases (LCBs). CAEP has been reported to exhibit nutritional functions, such as improving skin conditions and promoting cholesterol metabolism. Objectives: In this study, we investigated the role of dietary CAEP in the formation of aberrant crypt foci (ACF) and colon inflammation induced by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) in mice. Methods: Five-week-old female Bagg Albino/c mice were divided into four groups (n = 11), which were treated with the respective experimental diet and DMH intraperitoneal injection nine times for ten weeks. The results obtained after administering CAEP were compared with those obtained after administering sphingomyelin (SPM), which is a major sphingolipid in mammal-derived foods. Results: The predominant LCB in the octopus-extracted CAEP was determined as hexadeca-4-sphingenine. Dietary CAEP suppressed the formation of ACF, and egg yolk-derived dietary SPM exerted a higher suppressive effect on the formation of ACF. Additionally, dietary CAEP suppressed the DMH-decreased expressions of two inflammation-related cytokines in the colon mucosa, whereas dietary SPM normalized the expressions of two cytokines different from those suppressed by CAEP. Conclusions: CAEP provides intestinal protection, with effects that differ from those of SPM. The polar head groups or LCBs in sphingolipids are important for determining their nutritional function in the intestine. The study findings contribute toward the understanding of the nutritional benefits of sphingolipids in daily diets or supplements in maintaining intestinal health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Enriching the Gut Microbial Functionality through Daily Meals)
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15 pages, 2965 KiB  
Article
Dose-Dependent Effects of Turmeric (Curcuma aromatica S.) Starch on Colonic Fermentation in Rats
by Ekanayake Mudiyanselage Asanka Chamara Ekanayake, Ryota Ishii, Ryuji Nagata, Ken-ichiro Shimada, Kyu-Ho Han and Michihiro Fukushima
Metabolites 2024, 14(11), 572; https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo14110572 - 24 Oct 2024
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Abstract
Background; Turmeric starch (TS) has gained significant attention due to its potential health benefits. Rich in resistant starch (RS) and higher in phosphorus, TS is anticipated to possess properties of high-phosphorus-type RS. Objectives; To understand the host physiology of TS, this study investigated [...] Read more.
Background; Turmeric starch (TS) has gained significant attention due to its potential health benefits. Rich in resistant starch (RS) and higher in phosphorus, TS is anticipated to possess properties of high-phosphorus-type RS. Objectives; To understand the host physiology of TS, this study investigated the dose-dependent effects of TS on colonic fermentation in rats. Methods; Four experimental diets containing different levels of TS (5%, 10%, and 20% w/w) were formulated and fed to male Fischer 344 rats for two weeks and compared with rats fed a 0% TS diet (TS0). Results; Results showed that increasing the dose of TS resulted in reduced body weight gain, lower visceral tissue weight, and increased cecal mucin and IgA levels compared with the TS0 group. Further, fecal dry weight increased dose-dependently parallel to the starch excretion rate. Higher doses of TS resulted in increased short chain fatty acid (SCFA) production, specifically cecal acetate content, as well as in a dose-dependent decrease in the cecal pH level. However, this study did not observe a positive effect of TS on colonic alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, and the impact on small intestinal ALP activity remains unclear. Notably, beneficial bacteria such as the family Oscillospiraceae, genus Lachnospiraceae NK4A136 group, and Ruminococcus spp. were found to have been enriched in the TS-fed groups, further supporting the beneficial effects of TS on gut microbiota and SCFA production. Additionally, the genus Mucispirillum, which is known to possess beneficial and opportunistic pathogenic traits under immunocompromised states, was found in the TS-fed groups. Conclusions; According to these results, it is clear that TS served as a prebiotic substrate in rats, with a notable modulation of the microbial composition. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Enriching the Gut Microbial Functionality through Daily Meals)
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