Beyond nutrition: How single-cell proteins reshape the gut microbiota and metabolome.

Single-cell proteins (SCPs) influence gut microbiota and metabolome in source-specific and processing-dependent ways, with microalgal SCPs and mycoprotein showing notable effects.

• Why it matters: Understanding how SCPs modulate the gut microbiota and metabolome is crucial for developing dietary strategies that support intestinal and cardiometabolic health, especially as global protein demand rises.
• What they did: The review synthesizes in vitro, animal, and human evidence on four SCP classes, focusing on their cell wall polysaccharides and nitrogenous residues, and their effects on gut microbial composition and metabolic pathways.
• The result: Polysaccharide-rich SCPs promote saccharolytic fermentation and butyrate-producing bacteria, while bacterial SCPs shift fermentation toward proteolytic pathways; mycoprotein shows clinical evidence of reducing LDL-cholesterol and fasting blood glucose, highlighting the potential for health claims.

AI summary of the abstract · may contain errors · not medical advice · read the paper.