Glycomics of Residues from Plant-Based Beverages for Microbiota

Objective

The growing concern over the environmental impact caused by food industry waste, particularly residues from the production of plant-based beverages, has emphasized the need for more sustainable approaches. Despite the rapid expansion of the plant-based beverage market, most of the production residues are not adequately valorized, leading to a significant loss of fiber-rich carbohydrates that could have important health benefits. Additionally, the unique characteristics of the ileum microbiota and its interaction with these carbohydrates have not been fully investigated, primarily due to the technical challenges of sampling from this region. The GLYCO-RESBIOTA project aims to explore how fiber-rich residues from the production of plant-based beverages (soy, pea, and oat) can be digested in the ileum and exert prebiotic effects by modulating the ileal microbiota. The main objective is to apply advanced glycomics profiling techniques to characterize these carbohydrates and study their impact on ileal digestion using dynamic simulation models. Over three years, this project will be carried out in two phases: an initial phase at the University of California, Davis (USA), where the researcher will receive training in advanced glycomics techniques, and a second phase at the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), where simulated digestion and metatranscriptomic studies will be implemented. The results of the project will contribute to understanding the interactions between carbohydrates and microbiota and offer sustainable solutions to reduce the environmental impact of industrial residues while improving gut health. This project has the potential to create an innovative glycomics platform in Europe, facilitating the study of carbohydrates in food and their relationship with gut health, aligning with the EU’s 2030 sustainability goals.