IMMUNOMET-dietary manipulation of microbiota diversity for controlling immune function

The community of bacteria that live in the human intestine is important for health. It is called the microbiome. The bacteria in the microbiome modify our food into chemicals that we metabolize and draw energy from. They also interact with our immune system. The type of gut bacteria we carry is largely controlled by our diet. The synergy between nutrition and nutrient have driven microbiome diversity represents an opportunity for ingredient development for the food industry. International research has identified changes in gut bacteria in people with diabetes. This project aims to identify food ingredients that control the type of gut bacteria we carry. We hypothesized (1) that gut microbiota diversity can modulate inflammation and susceptibility to enteric infections; (2) that interventions with food ingredients can modulate inflammation, protect against infection and cause positive effects in metabolism. APC colleagues in Teagasc Moorepark and University College Cork partner researchers in University College Dublin, University of Limerick and National University of Ireland Galway to identify food ingredients that promote microbiota diversity, which can be incorporated by the Irish food industry into novel foods that promote health.