Location: Food Components and Health Laboratory
2024 Annual Report
Objectives
Objective 1: Elucidate the impact of differential bioavailability of dietary bioactive components, such as isothiocyanates and polyphenols, in predicting inter-individual response to dietary intake.
Sub-objective 1.A: Determine the role of differential bioavailability of berry flavonoids (proportion absorbed via the small intestine vs. proportion reaching the colon) in influencing glycemic response and gut microbiota metabolism.
Sub-objective 1.B: Determine the role of differential bioavailability (proportion absorbed via the small intestine vs. proportion reaching the colon) of phenolic compounds from a mix of polyphenol-rich foods in influencing glycemic response and gut microbiota metabolism.
Sub-objective 1.C: Determine the importance of isothiocyanate bioavailability on influencing xenobiotic metabolism via glutathione-S-transferase concentration and activity.
Objective 2: Elucidate the impact of differential digestibility of dietary macronutrients, such as fat and carbohydrate, in predicting inter-individual response to dietary intake.
Sub-objective 2.A: Determine the role of differential digestibility of fat from tree nuts in determining blood lipid response and gut microbiota metabolism.
Sub-objective 2.B: Determine the role of differential digestibility of carbohydrate from pulses (chickpeas and lentils) in determining blood lipid response and gut microbiota metabolism.
Approach
The nutrition community increasingly recognizes that a single set of dietary guidelines does not provide optimal health benefits to all individuals. Factors such as genotype, phenotype, efficiency in digestion and nutrient absorption, rates of metabolic pathways, gut microbiota, and other characteristics affect an individual’s response to diet. However, data to create predictive algorithms to prescribe targeted dietary recommendations are not yet sufficient. By combining data from our previous human feeding studies with new analyses utilizing novel analytical approaches, we will strengthen the evidence for predicting how certain individual characteristics may influence response to dietary interventions.
Progress Report
This annual report is for a new project 8040-10700-007-000D entitled “Predicting Individual Response to Dietary Intake.” The project contributes to National Program 107 and focuses on Component 3 (Scientific Basis for Dietary Guidance), and Component 4 (Prevention of Diet-Related Chronic Diseases) through human studies focusing on dietary bioactives and macronutrients. This project builds on research findings and accomplishments from the terminated project 8040-51000-059-000D entitled “Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism and Excretion of Food Components and their Impact on Chronic Disease Risk.”
Berries used in dietary interventions were analyzed for cyanidin-glucoside, catechin, epicatechin, kaempferol- glucoside, and two quercetin glucosides. Blood plasma and urine were analyzed for glucosides of cyanidin, peonidin, kaempferol, and glucuronides of cyanidin, peonidin, kaempferol, epicatechin, and methyl-kaempferol. Biospecimens from these dietary interventions with berries have been analyzed for glucose, insulin, and bile acids. Analysis of fecal microbiota by shotgun metagenomics is ongoing.
Additionally, bioactive compounds in food and plasma were analyzed from a dietary intervention of blueberries, apples, and tea. The analysis included multiple glycosides of delphinidin, cyanidin, malvidin, peonidin, petunidin, and pelargonidin; catechin, epicatechin, gallocatechin, epigallocatechin, epicatechin gallate, epigallocatechin gallate, gallocatechin gallate; ferulic acid, chlorogenic acid; quercetin, phloridzin, and rutin. Biospecimen analyses were completed for bile acids, and analyses are ongoing for short-chain fatty acid analysis and metagenomics of fecal microbiota. Together, these data will be used to better understand individual response to changes in dietary exposure to these dietary bioactives.
Accomplishments