GUT MICROBIAL METABOLITES OF APPLE POLYPHENOLS: INTERROGATING INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES TO ESTABLISH FUNCTIONAL BIOMARKER UTILITY

The overall goal of this project is to evaluate the potential for O-desmethylangolensin (ODMA) to serve as a biomarker of gut microbial metabolic functionality for cleavage of the flavonoid C-ring, as a means of investigating inter-individual differences in derived health benefits from dietary consumption of flavonoids. The project will achieve this through the following objectives:Identify a group of 15 ODMA non-producers and 15 ODMA producers, matched on personal characteristics.Quantify differences in urinary microbial catechin metabolite excretion across individuals based on ODMA metabotype.Characterize microbiome components associated with catechin metabolism and changes in gut microbiome associated with a high-catechin diet.