Untargeted Metabolomics Unravels Distinct Gut Microbial Metabolites Derived from Plant-Based and Animal-Origin Proteins Modeling in Vitro

Abstract

The increasing popularity of plant-based meat alternatives (PBMAs) has triggered a contentious debate about their impact on intestinal homeostasis.. This research investigated three food matrices: a beef patty, a commercial PBMA, and a homemade pea protein-based 'patty'. First, we performed a static in vitro simulation of gastrointestinal food digestion and described bioaccessible metabolites. Secondly, the undigested fraction was employed to perform fecal batch cultures. Using a comprehensive metabolomics approach, including the use of ultra-high performance liquid chromatography hyphenated to a quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer (UPLC-QTOF MS), we compared traditional gut health biomarkers and protein-related gut microbial metabolites (GMMs). Our findings highlight differences between animal and plant-based burgers in metabolites associated with intestinal inflammation, TMAO biosynthesis pathway, and GMMs with signaling functions in the intestine. Remarkably, distinct trends in protein-related amino acids metabolite profiles were observed, shedding light on their potential implications for gut health and overall well-being.

Keywords: Gut microbial metabolites, protein fermentation, plant-based proteins, metabolomics, high-resolution mass spectrometry