Post by Wageningen Food & Biobased Research

🦠 '𝗣𝗼𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗲' 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 In our lab, researcher Jurriaan Mes uses the artificial intestine system SHISME - nicknamed the ‘poo machine’ – to unravel the complex relationships between nutrition, gut bacteria and health. It mimics conditions from various parts of the intestines, to study how nutrition affects the composition of the organisms inhabiting the gut. 🧀 By feeding the device with food particles and monitoring changes in microbial composition, our team is gaining insights into how gut bacteria affect nutrient breakdown, the production of metabolites and potentially broader aspects of health. ‘We take what remains of the food particles in the various pots and feed this to intestinal cells in another part of our lab. That is where we study the uptake into the bloodstream,’ Jurriaan explains. 🔬 Advanced DNA techniques make it possible to identify the organisms present and the substances they produce within a day. By steering microbial interactions in a controlled environment, this research is contributing to evidence-based strategies for nutrition and health. Do you have a question about our 'poo machine'? Post it below and we'll get back to you! #Microbiome #NutritionScience