A Novel Plant-Based Food to Enlarge the Access of Healthy Bioactive Compounds Typical of the Mediterranean Diet to Non-Adherent People

We selected ingredients with a high content of bioactive components typical of the Mediterranean diet (MD) and designed an MD-based food. Its effect on human gut microbiota, microbiome, and metabolome was explored in comparison to placebo by feeding a Twin Mucosal Simulator of the Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem (Twin M-SHIME). The fecal donor used for the inoculation of the Twin M-SHIME was chosen within a cohort of individuals showing low adherence to MD. The administration of MD-based food increased the abundance of numerous taxa, almost all having the potential to exert beneficial activities. The reshaping of the microbiota reflected on microbiome changes: genes responsible for colanic acid biosynthesis (implicated in healthy aging) and carbohydrate metabolism increased, whereas genes involved in l-valine pathway decreased. MD-based food temporarily increased short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) synthesis, reflecting the increase of genes responsible for butyrate synthesis and fiber degradation. MD-based food modulated the synthesis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), mainly esters derived from medium- and long-chain fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids.