Dietary carotenoids and their modulation of intestinal microbiota

Introduction: Annually, 41 million deaths are linked to Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), often due to poor diets, emphasizing the importance of health-recommended fruits and vegetables. Carotenoids, lipid-soluble compounds found in plants, bacteria, microalgae, and fungi, offer antioxidant protection and promote cardiovascular health and anti-inflammatory effects. The efficiency of carotenoids is influenced by the intestinal microbiota (IM), which plays a crucial role in their absorption and metabolism. Dietary changes can impact the IM, affecting microbial proliferation and the production of metabolites crucial in diseases. Despite their significance, there's a research gap in understanding carotenoids' colon metabolism and interactions, necessitating further exploration. Introduction The study aimed to evaluate the effects of digested beta(β)-carotene, lutein, and lycopene, a mixture of these pigments, and Osmundea pinnatifida solutions on the metabolic and population dynamics of the intestinal microbiota. Conclusions: In the presence of carotenoid samples, the IM was mainly composed of Bacteroidota, Bacillota, Pseudomonadota and Actinomycetota phyla, promoting the growth of Lachnospiraceae bacteria while reducing the RA of Lactobacillus, Enterococcus, Streptococcus and Bifidobacterium. The Lycopene and Mix groups exhibited similar microbial compositions, whereas the β-carotene and Alga groups fostered a more diversified microbiota. The bacteria in the IM used glucose as a carbon source and were stimulated to produce significantly essential organic acids such as succinic, acetic, butyric and propionic acids.