Food hydrocolloids kappa- carrageenan and xanthan gum in processed red meat modify gut health in rats

Dietary hydrocolloids kappa-carrageenan and xanthan gum, commonly used in processed meats, have unclear impacts on gut health. A rodent trial examined the impact of a red meat diet with or without 1% kappa-carrageenan or xanthan gum on gut and systemic health. Outcomes included colonic microbiota composition, fecal fermentation metabolites, intestinal histology, oxidative stress and inflammation markers, and gene expression in the colonic mucosa assessed via transcriptomic analysis.