Abstract
Mounting evidence has linked gut microbiome to health benefits of various functional foods. We previously reported that administration of a diet rich in black raspberry (BRB) changed the composition and diverse functional pathways in the mouse gut microbiome. To further characterize the functional profile in the gut microbiome of mice on BRB diet, in this follow-up study, we examined the metabolome differences in the gut microbiome driven by BRB consumption via targeted and untargeted metabolomic approaches. A distinct metabolite profile was observed in the gut microbiome of the mice on BRB diet, likely resulting from a combination of microbiome functional changes and unique precursors in BRBs. A number of functional metabolites, such as tetrahydrobiopterin and butyrate that were significantly increased in the gut microbiome may be linked to the beneficial health effects of BRB consumption. These findings suggest the important role of the gut microbiome in the health effects of BRBs and provide a connection among the health benefits of functional foods and the gut microbiome.