Gut Microbes

Probiotics, Food Components, and Gut Health

Probiotics and food components interact within the gut through complex and dynamic physiological mechanisms, involving mutual cooperation, metabolic crosstalk, and regulatory feedback. These interactions not only influence the survival, colonization, and functional expression of probiotics but also modulate nutrient metabolism, immune responses, and intestinal homeostasis in the host. Understanding the intricate relationships and underlying molecular mechanisms between probiotics and food components is essential for revealing how probiotics adapt to host environments and contribute to intestinal microecology and host health. These researches are critical for developing strategies for precision and personalized nutritional interventions aimed at optimizing health outcomes. This Article Collection aims to highlight recent advances in the mechanistic understanding of these interactions and their implications for gut health.

The molecular underpinnings of interactions between probiotics and food components can be traced back to the pioneering research on the polysaccharide metabolism by Bacteroides species from the human colon in the late 1980s, which revealed mechanisms of selective nutrient utilization and ecological niche occupation. Subsequent studies, including the work of Jeffrey Gordon, demonstrated that dietary changes can alter microbial gene expression and gut microbiota function. Despite significant progress has been made in understanding diet–microbiota interactions, our knowledge remains limited regarding how diverse gut microbes, including probiotics, utilize food components and exert specific physiological effects. An article in Nature Microbiology Reviews in 2019 highlighted that diet, gut microbes, and the host form a highly interconnected biochemical system. The article pointed out that the main challenge in harnessing the potential of microbiome-informed personalized nutrition is to identify how the host, the microbiome and dietary exposures interact in shaping dietary responses. Recent advances in science, medicine, and artificial intelligence are accelerating progress in this field. Decoding the interactions among probiotics, food components, and the host is key to promoting long-term gut health and developing precision nutrition strategies tailored to individual microbiome profiles.

This collection will include original research and systematic reviews covering basic science, translational research, and clinical trials related to the broad theme of probiotics, food components, and gut health. The focus is on elucidating the differences in probiotic composition and physiological function under specific dietary patterns, as well as the selective utilization mechanisms by which probiotics metabolize various food components. The collection will also cover systems-level analyses of the “food–probiotics–host health” interaction network, highlighting the bidirectional influences between diet, microbiota, and host physiology. Contributions proposing conceptual frameworks and experimental strategies for the development of microbiota-directed foods are also welcome. In addition, studies addressing the transmission, adaptation, and evolutionary dynamics of probiotics in food matrices and within the gut environment will be included.

Keywords

• Probiotics
• Food components
• Gut health
• Gut Microbes
• Trophic interactions

­­All manuscripts submitted to this Article Collection will undergo a full peer-review; the Guest Advisor for this Collection will not be handling the manuscripts (unless they are an Editorial Board member).

Please review the journal scope and author submission instructions prior to submitting a manuscript.

The deadline for submitting manuscripts is 31 July 2026.

Please contact Zhiyuan Zhang at [email protected] with any queries and discount codes regarding this Article Collection.

Please be sure to select the appropriate Article Collection from the drop-down menu in the submission system.

Guest Advisor

Prof. Qixiao Zhai, deputy dean and professor of the school of Food Science and Technology of Jiangnan University. He is mainly engaged in research on probiotics and gut microbiota, in recent years, a series of studies have been conducted focusing on the exploration of probiotic resources, the interaction between diet and the microbiota, and the development of functional foods related to these areas. In recent years, he has published 140 original research papers in journals such as Cell Host & Microbe, Cell Genomics, Microbiome and Gut Microbes and has been granted for 60 Chinese patents and 8 international patents. He also serves as deputy editor in chief of Food Science and Human Wellness, and the editorial board of Engineering, etc.