Methods and compositions for the microbiota production of plant nutrients

Abstract

A method useful for providing phytonutrients to a subject via the subject's microbiota is disclosed. The method includes administering a plant functional composition to the subject to alter the status of the subject's phytonutrient-producing bacteria. The method may also include assessing the levels of at least one of a preselected phytonutrient and a preselected phytonutrient precursor compound in the subject to identify the status of the subject's phytonutrient-producing bacteria. A plant functional composition useful in the method is also disclosed, comprising a phytonutrient precursor compound and an active agent. The active agent, including a probiotic and / or a prebiotic, is adapted to mediate the production of the preselected phytonutrient in the subject's gastrointestinal tract, thereby altering the status of the subject's phytonutrient-producing bacteria.

Description

Technical field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to methods for improving microbial metabolism, and more particularly to methods and compositions for providing plant nutrients to a subject. [Background technology]

[0002] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to and all benefits of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 904,826, filed September 24, 2019, and U.S. Patent Application No. 17 / 028,490, filed September 22, 2020, the contents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0003] Phytonutrients are plant-derived compounds that have been associated with various health benefits in mammals (e.g., humans), such as antioxidant activity, improved cardiovascular health, anti-inflammatory activity, anti-aging properties, and neurological effects. For example, polyphenolic phytonutrients (e.g., flavonoids) have been positively correlated with neurological benefits, such as improved memory and learning behavior in adult humans. Despite their potential benefits, phytonutrients are not often used to supplement foods because typical phytonutrients impart undesirable color and flavor when added to existing foods or nutritional products. Therefore, many phytonutrients are provided to mammals in the form of dietary supplements, which are typically concentrated sources of nutrients (e.g., phytonutrients) administered to achieve nutritional and / or physiological effects. However, some phytonutrients do not naturally exist in their biologically active form (i.e., not at all or not present at sufficient levels) but instead exist in precursor form (e.g., as phytonutrient precursor compounds). Thus, many phytonutrient-based dietary supplements are ineffective or inadequate because such phytonutrient precursor compounds cannot be sufficiently converted into biologically active forms useful to mammalian health before being excreted by the mammal. Summary of the Invention

[0004] A method for altering the status of phytonutrient-producing bacteria in a subject is provided. The method mediates the subject's microbial metabolism and is useful, for example, for maintaining or improving the health or well-being of the subject. The method may include assessing the status of the subject's phytonutrient-producing bacteria, for example, by assessing the level of a preselected phytonutrient and / or a preselected phytonutrient precursor compound in the subject. The method includes administering a plant functional composition to the subject, thereby altering the status of the subject's phytonutrient-producing bacteria. The plant functional composition includes a phytonutrient precursor compound and an active agent. The active agent includes at least one of probiotics (symbiotic bacteria) and prebiotics (indigestible dietary fiber that promotes the growth of intestinal bacteria), and is adapted to mediate the production of the preselected phytonutrient in the gastrointestinal tract of the subject. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0005] In some embodiments, the methods include identifying one or more probiotics, prebiotics, and / or phytonutrient precursor compounds to alter the status of the phytonutrient-producing bacteria of interest.

[0006] In certain embodiments, the method includes formulating the plant functional composition to include the identified probiotic, prebiotic and / or phytonutrient precursor compound prior to administering the plant functional composition to the subject.

[0007] Also provided are plant functional compositions suitable for use in the methods. In particular, the plant functional compositions include phytonutrient precursor compounds adapted to be converted to or used in the production of phytonutrients via microbial metabolism. The plant functional compositions also include an active agent adapted to mediate the production of a preselected phytonutrient from the phytonutrient precursor compounds in the gastrointestinal tract of the subject. The active agent includes a probiotic and / or a prebiotic.

[0008] These and other objects, advantages, and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the description of the present embodiments and drawings.

[0009] Before describing the embodiments of the present invention in detail, it should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the details of operation and the details of the construction and arrangement of steps and components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. It should be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for purposes of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of the terms "comprising" and "consisting" and variations thereof is meant to encompass the subsequently listed items and their equivalents, as well as additional items and their equivalents. Furthermore, enumerations may be used in describing various embodiments. Unless otherwise expressly stated, the use of enumerations should not be construed as limiting the invention to a particular order or number of components. Nor should the use of enumerations be construed as excluding from the scope of the invention additional steps or components that may be combined with the listed steps or components. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The method of the present disclosure is useful for providing plant nutrients to a subject.Generally, this method utilizes function-driven metagenomic analysis to identify potential means in complex microbial populations and utilize these means for the benefit of the subject.More specifically, as will be apparent from the description herein, this method is useful for providing microbially metabolized plant nutrients, for example, administering plant functional composition to the subject to mediate the microbial metabolism of the subject, thereby providing sufficient plant nutrients to the subject, thereby improving the condition of the subject.

[0011] Plant compounds are chemicals found in or derived from plants. Plant compounds can range from macromolecules, polymers, small molecules, and small molecule compounds. Many plant compounds lack biological activity with respect to specific biological processes, for example, because they are indigestible, have low bioavailability, and / or are otherwise persistent or inactive against specific biological targets. However, some such plant compounds can be converted by microbial metabolism (e.g., by the subject's microbiota) to forms with increased biological activity against one or more biological targets. In such cases, the parent plant compound with reduced biological activity (i.e., with respect to at least one biological target) can be referred to as a "phytonutrient precursor compound," and its bioactive metabolites can be referred to as "phytonutrients." While the term "phytonutrient" has traditionally been used synonymously with "plant compound," for clarity, the term "phytonutrient precursor compound" is used herein to refer to any plant compound that can be converted into a bioactive compound by microbial metabolism, whether naturally occurring or derived from a natural composition. Furthermore, such bioactive compounds (i.e., those derived from microbial metabolism of a phytonutrient precursor compound) are referred to herein as "phytonutrients."

[0012] As used herein, the terms "microbiome," "microbiota," and "microbial habitat" can be used interchangeably and refer to the microorganisms in and / or within a host animal (e.g., a mammal, such as a human). Microbiota are composed of commensal, pathogenic, and resident microorganisms, which are known to significantly impact the health of the host. Microbiota can be present in many, if not most, parts of a host. Thus, certain terms may be used to refer to, for example, the localized microbiota present in a particular part of a host or within a host. For example, "gut microbiota" refers to the microorganisms (i.e., microflora) that normally inhabit the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of an animal host. The gut microbiota present in a typical animal is highly diverse and is composed of pathogenic, benign, and beneficial microbial genera. In healthy humans, the gut microbiota is composed of beneficial bacteria, such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria, and non-beneficial bacteria, such as Bacteroides, coliforms, Clostridium, and sulfate-reducing bacteria. For example, the average human colon comprises the most biodiverse local microbiota in the human body, with a bacterial density of approximately 10 12 As a result, the intestinal microbiota of a host, such as a human, is expected to exhibit its own distinctive metabolic properties, as detailed below.

[0013] Thus, while the microbiota of a given host subject is unique in many aspects, it will, of course, typically share many similarities with the microbiota of other hosts within a given population. One such similarity is the ability, or lack thereof, to metabolize specific phytonutrient precursor compounds into specific phytonutrients. In other words, within a population, certain subjects may be able to microbially metabolize certain phytonutrient precursor compounds, while others may not. For example, the glycosides of soybean-derived daidzein and the methoxylated isoflavone formononetin found in clover, or their glycosides (i.e., phytonutrient precursor compounds), are hydrolyzed to produce the phytonutrient equol. Once produced, equol is metabolically inert and does not undergo further biotransformation, likely due to hepatic phase II metabolism or minor hydroxylation. Following the discovery of equol in urine following the ingestion of soy-containing foods, observations suggest that 50–70% of adult humans do not excrete equol in urine, even with daily consumption of soy-containing foods. Furthermore, even when administered pure isoflavone compounds (i.e., without the influence of a food matrix), many individuals do not convert daidzein to equol. This has led to the terms "equol-producing bacteria" and "non-equol-producing bacteria" (or "poor equol-producing bacteria") being developed to distinguish between these two populations. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, empirical "cutoff" values ​​can be assigned to distinguish between these categories. For example, subjects with plasma equol concentrations below 10 ng / mL (40 nmol / L) can be classified as "non-equol-producing bacteria," while subjects with levels above 10 ng / mL (40 nmol / L) can be classified as "equol-producing bacteria." Such classifications can also be derived from urinary levels; for example, subjects excreting equol at concentrations above 1000 nmol / L are classified as "equol-producing bacteria."

[0014] Naturally, certain phytonutrient precursor compounds (i.e., dietary plant compounds) abundant in foods are first absorbed in the ileum of a subject, subsequently excreted as conjugates in the bile, and finally pass through the small intestine to reach the subject's colon. However, it is now known that some non-absorbed / unabsorbed phytonutrient precursor compounds reach the subject's colon directly after gastrointestinal passage and thus undergo various microbial metabolic processes (e.g., fermentation, oxidation, deconjugation, etc.) by the intestinal microbiota, providing a wide range of phytonutrients as small molecule metabolites for absorption by the host. Therefore, the phenomenon described with respect to equol can be generalized in terms of any specific phytonutrient produced by microbial metabolism, and subjects can be classified as "phytonutrient producers," "phytonutrient non-producers," "phytonutrient poor producers," etc.

[0015] In some embodiments, the method includes identifying or assessing the status of the subject's phytonutrient-producing bacteria. As is apparent from the description herein, the specific techniques and / or individual methods used for assessment and / or identification are not particularly limited and may include any suitable in vivo, in vitro, empirical, qualitative, and / or quantitative techniques suitable for assessing the presence and / or levels (e.g., concentrations) of a particular phytonutrient, its metabolite or metabolic precursor (e.g., corresponding phytonutrient precursor compound), or an active agent capable of producing any of the foregoing or other quantifiable markers of phytonutrient-producing bacteria status (collectively "biomarkers") in a subject (e.g., directly, via a sample, via a representative sample, etc.). It should be understood, however, that in some embodiments, the status of an individual subject's phytonutrient-producing bacteria need not be directly identified or assessed prior to administering the plant functional composition thereto. Rather, the plant functional composition may be formulated based on an assessment of the general phytonutrient-producing bacteria status (e.g., globally or within a particular population) and provided to the subject based on its relevance thereto. In this manner, the present methods can be used to provide personalized preventative benefits to specific subjects, while also being used based on their ability to provide preventative benefits to a portion of a given population (e.g., as a general nutritional supplement for potential metabolic support, as described in more detail below).

[0016] The subject is not particularly limited and can be any organism that has a microbiota. Typically, however, the subject is an animal such as a mammal (i.e., a vertebrate member of the class Mammalia, such as a dog, cat, goat, sheep, pig, cow, horse, donkey, or camel). Additional mammals specifically contemplated herein include semi-domestic mammals and mammals routinely bred in captivity. Of course, the term mammal also encompasses humans (which may be referred to as "persons" or "humans"). When describing humans, the term "adult" is typically used herein to refer to a human who has reached sexual maturity. In contrast, the terms "child" and "juvenile" are used herein to refer to a human who has not yet reached sexual maturity. Typically, the term "child" refers to a human subject between birth and about 10 years of age (i.e., childhood), and the term "juvenile" refers to a human subject who is older than about 10 years of age and has not yet completed puberty. Of course, the terms child, infant, adult, and toddler are all encompassed by the term human, which is a subclass of mammals, a subclass of animals, as defined herein.

[0017] Any evaluation technique can be used, such as urinalysis, fecal analysis, plasma analysis, tissue analysis, saliva analysis, etc., or a combination thereof. Furthermore, such techniques can be individualized (i.e., tailored to one or more specific markers) or can be systematic, including a range of multi-omic techniques (technologies that comprehensively study the entire body of molecules present in a living organism) suitable for identifying biomarkers in one or more tissues of interest or other biological materials (e.g., blood, urine, sweat, saliva, feces, etc.). Furthermore, such evaluations can be direct or indirect in nature, such as evaluating samples for specific biomarkers (i.e., direct evaluations) or evaluating characteristics or properties indicative of biomarkers related to the status of plant nutrient-producing bacteria. For example, metabolomic analysis (a global analysis of metabolism), proteomic analysis (an analysis of all proteins expressed in a living organism), and / or genomic analysis can also be used directly. Physical indicators (i.e., not biological indicators) can also be used in addition to or instead of these. For example, Bristol stool scores (e.g., firmer stools), indicative of constipation, have been shown to be associated with higher Shannon diversity, an alpha diversity metric that summarizes the taxonomic richness and evenness of the gut microbiome as reported in an increasing number of literature studies, and can be used as a marker for microbiome health. Thus, physical indicators such as firm or loose stools, Bristol scores, or other descriptive, qualitative, and / or quantitative measures used to describe such stools, metrics associated with such measures, or population data (e.g., obtained by sampling, surveys, etc.) demonstrating the presence or likelihood of such metrics, measurements, or physical indicators can also be used to identify or assess the status of a subject's phytonutrient-producing bacteria.

[0018] Thus, one skilled in the art will appreciate that assessing the status of a phytonutrient-producing microorganism of interest may involve conducting tests, studies, and / or model-based experiments, as described in more detail below. In certain embodiments, assessing the status of a phytonutrient-producing microorganism of interest involves conducting a high-throughput assay or screen. In these or other embodiments, assessing the status of a phytonutrient-producing microorganism of interest involves utilizing a microarray representative of microorganisms, for example, a microarray representative of intestinal or large intestinal microorganisms. Such microarrays can be adapted from those known in the art and typically utilize commercially available materials.

[0019] For example, in certain embodiments, the method involves culturing a microbiota sample obtained from a subject with a phytonutrient precursor compound to perform fermentation. The fermentation may be performed using a culture model, such as an in vivo gut model (i.e., a model representative of the human colonic microbiota that mimics microbial processes in the human colon). In some embodiments, the fermentation is performed as a batch fermentation using a fecal sample. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, such assays provide an efficient comparison of the microbial fermentation processes of different human microbial communities through the use of metabolite analysis methods in conditions that mimic those present in the distal colon. Regardless of the specific fermentation technique utilized, the evaluation typically involves monitoring the presence and, optionally, the amount of phytonutrients produced during fermentation (e.g., as breakdown products). Such monitoring can be performed by a variety of metabolite analysis techniques known in the art, such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabolite analysis, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)-based analysis, and combinations thereof.

[0020] In some embodiments, assessing the status of a subject's phytonutrient-producing bacteria further comprises assessing the functional capacity of the subject's intestinal microbiota. In particular, it is believed that the beneficial effects of consuming certain foods depend on the bioconversion of plant compounds into bioactive metabolites by intestinal bacteria, i.e., the provision of specific phytonutrients from phytonutrient precursor compounds. Of course, the underlying mechanisms and bacterial species involved in the production of such phytonutrients have not yet been fully identified, and the bacterial metabolism of the complex mixture of plant compounds present in the human diet has been studied to a much lesser extent than the metabolism of a single compound. However, as shown herein, differences in the status of phytonutrient-producing bacteria are believed to be due to differences in the metabolic capacity of a subject's endogenous microbiota.

[0021] In certain embodiments, assessing the phytonutrient-producing status of a subject involves quantifying the particular phytonutrient present in the subject, which is typically expressed as a relative concentration (e.g., blood concentration level, urine concentration level, etc.). The excretion of a particular phytonutrient can vary widely between individuals, and therefore, of course, there may be a large or small division between producers and non-producers of a given phytonutrient. Thus, in certain embodiments, assessing the phytonutrient-producing status of a subject involves comparing the biological concentration and / or excretion of the phytonutrient of the subject to corresponding measurements obtained from other subjects. Such corresponding measurements may be obtained directly or indirectly, for example, by population sampling, surveys, averaging, etc. In some embodiments, the method includes determining an empirical threshold for any particular phytonutrient, or collective amount of multiple phytonutrients within a group, to distinguish categories of production status (e.g., producers vs. non-producers) for the phytonutrient(s). In such embodiments, comparing the in vivo concentration and / or excretion of the phytonutrient in the subject with corresponding measurements obtained from other subjects includes or is performed by comparing the phytonutrient content of the subject to a threshold value, thereby classifying the subject as a producer or non-producer for the given phytonutrient.

[0022] The specific phytonutrients evaluated are not limited. Rather, the present method can be used with any phytonutrient produced in vivo by microbial metabolism of a phytonutrient precursor compound in a subject. Furthermore, any number of phytonutrients and / or phytonutrient precursor compounds can be evaluated, administered, or utilized with the present method. Specific general examples of phytonutrients include dietary carbohydrates (e.g., resistant starch), lipids (e.g., omega-3, omega-6, etc.), proteins (e.g., whole soybeans, whey, rice, peas, etc., isolates, hydrolysates thereof, etc.), phenylpropanoids (i.e., aromatic compounds containing a phenylpropane moiety), pteridines, benzopyrans, benzenoids, lignans, neolignans, etc., and derivatives, modifications, and combinations thereof. For example, such phytonutrients include proteins, peptides, complex amino acids (e.g., those found in plant- or animal-based protein isolates derived from whey, egg, soy, rice, wheat, legumes, algae, fungi, pea, potato, fruit, buckwheat, corn, etc.), branched-chain amino acids, medium- and short-chain fatty acids (e.g., caproic acid, caprylic acid, capric acid, lauric acid, isovaleric acid, valeric acid, isobutyric acid, butyric acid, propionic acid, acetic acid, formic acid, etc.), hydroxyl acids (e.g., lactic acid, etc.), and derivatives, modifications, and combinations thereof.Some examples of plant nutrients include phenylpropanoic acid, flavonoids (i.e., compounds containing a 2-phenylchromene moiety), isoflavonoids (i.e., compounds containing a 3-phenylchromen-4-one moiety or a moiety derived therefrom), hydroxyisoflavonoids (i.e., hydroxyl-functional isoflavonoids), isoflav-2-enes (i.e., compounds containing a 3-phenylchromene moiety bearing a chromenyl C2-C3 alkene), flavanones (i.e., compounds containing a flavan-3-one moiety such as 2-phenyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-1-benzopyran bearing a C3 ketone), isoflavones (i.e., polycyclic compounds containing a C4-ketonyl 2-isoflavonoid moiety), and the like. phenols (e.g., benzenediols such as catechol), dibenzylbutane lignans, dibenzylbutanediol lignans, and the like, as well as derivatives, modifications, and combinations thereof. Specific examples of plant nutrients include:2-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)propionate;2,3-Dehydroequol;2,4,6-Trihydroxybenzaldehyde;2,4,6-Trihydroxybenzoic acid;3-(3,4-Dihydroxyphenyl)-acetic acid;3-(3,4-Dihydroxyphenyl)propionic acid;3-(3-Hydroxyphenyl)propionic acid;3-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)propionate;3,4-Dihydroxybenzoic acid;3,4-Dihydroxybenzylaldehyde;3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetaldehyde;3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetate;3,4-Dihydroxyphenylpyruvate;3,4-Dihydroxyphenylpyruvate;4-Hydroxyphenylacetate;5-(3',4'-Dihydroxyphenyl)-γ-valerolactone;5-(3',5'-Dihydro Examples of suitable phytonutrients include (hydroxyphenyl)-γ-valerolactone; 6'-hydroxy-O-desmethylangolensin; acetate; α-2',3,4,4',6'-hexahydroxydihydrochalcone; alphitonin; butyrate; daidzein; dihydrodaidzein; enterodiol; enterolactone; equol (e.g., (S)-equol); eriodictyol; ethanol; formate; genistein; glucose; hemoeriodictyol; hesperetin; lactic acid; O-desmethylangolensin; phenylacetic acid; phloroglucinol; protocatechuic acid; quercetin; sulfurofan; taxifolin; tetrahydrodaidzein; eurolitin A (e.g., 3,8-dihydroxybenzo[c]chromen-6-one), and derivatives, modifications, and combinations thereof. However, it should be understood that other phytonutrients, including those derived from the phytonutrient precursor compounds described herein, may be evaluated in place of or in addition to any of the above.

[0023] In certain embodiments, assessing the status of the phytonutrient-producing bacteria of the subject includes determining the presence and / or amount of phytonutrients in or excreted by the subject, including but not limited to protocatechuic acid; 3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-acetic acid; 3-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-propionic acid; 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid; 2,4,6-trihydroxybenzaldehyde; 2,4,6-trihydroxybenzoic acid; eriodictyol; hemiodictyol; hesperetin; parargonidin-3-O-glucoside; eurolitin A (e.g., 3,8-dihydroxybenzo[c]chromen-6-one); (S)-equol; O-desmethylangolensin; enterodiol; enterolactone; sulfurophane; 5-(3',4'-dihydroxyphenyl)-γ-valerolactone; 5-(3',5'-dihydroxyphenyl)- Contains gamma-valerolactone; dihydrocaffeic acid; isoferulic acid; 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid; dihydroferulic acid, ferulic acid; resorcinol; phloroglucinol; 2,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid; 4-hydroxybenzoic acid; phloretic acid; phloroglucinic acid; hydrocyanic acid; protocatechuic acid; and / or hiprastic acid.

[0024] The method involves administering to a subject a composition that improves the status of the subject's phytonutrient-producing bacteria. Thus, the method provides a means for overcoming a subject's inability to produce one or more specific phytonutrients in vivo, as described herein. As will be apparent from the following description, the plant functional composition can enhance the functional capacity of the subject's native gut microbiota (e.g., by stimulating the microorganisms therein), complement the functional capacity of the subject's gut microbiota (e.g., by providing additional microbial species and / or altering their population ratios), and / or circumvent certain microbial metabolic processes (e.g., by providing phytonutrient precursor compounds that do not require specific microbial-mediated conversion, thereby circumventing certain metabolic requirements). Regardless of the mechanism, administration of the plant functional composition to a subject typically results in the production of phytonutrients (e.g., by microbial metabolism) from phytonutrient precursor compounds. In certain embodiments, administration of the plant functional composition increases phytonutrient production by more than 0 to 1000%, or more than 0 to 500%, or more than 0 to 200%, or more than 0 to 100%, compared to phytonutrient production in non-producing bacteria not administered the plant functional composition. In these or other embodiments, administration of the plant functional composition increases the production (nmol / L) of a phytonutrient in a subject by greater than 0 to 5000, or greater than 0 to 2500, or greater than 0 to 1000, or greater than 0 to 750, or greater than 0 to 500, or greater than 0 to 250, or greater than 0 to 200, or greater than 0 to 150, or greater than 0 to 100, or greater than 0 to 75, or greater than 0 to 50, or greater than 0 to 40, or greater than 0 to 30, or greater than 0 to 25, or greater than 0 to 20, or greater than 0 to 15, or greater than 0 to 10, or greater than 0 to 5. In such embodiments, the specific amount of phytonutrient produced can vary based, for example, on the amount of plant functional composition administered, the condition of the subject's producer bacteria, the particular phytonutrient being evaluated, etc. As will be apparent to one of skill in the art, increased production of a phytonutrient may be measured using a variety of techniques (e.g., urinalysis, fecal analysis, plasma analysis, etc.), which may be used to quantify the levels of the phytonutrient itself or a metabolite of the phytonutrient (e.g., present in the subject's urine, blood, etc.).Of course, administration of the plant functional composition can be used to supplement in vivo production in both phytonutrient-producing, phytonutrient-non-producing, and phytonutrient-poor-producing bacteria.

[0025] Many phytonutrients mediate specific therapeutic and / or preventive effects and can therefore be used to treat or ameliorate a subject's condition. As used herein, the terms "treatment" and "treating" are used interchangeably and refer to an approach to achieving a beneficial or desired result, including, but not limited to, a therapeutic effect and / or a preventive effect. A therapeutic benefit can refer to the eradication or amelioration of the underlying disorder being treated. A therapeutic benefit can also be achieved by the eradication or amelioration of one or more physiological symptoms associated with an underlying disease, such that the subject experiences improvement despite still suffering from the underlying disease. A preventative benefit includes delaying, preventing, or eliminating the onset of a disease or condition, delaying or eliminating the onset of symptoms of a disease or condition, slowing, halting, or reversing the progression of a disease or condition, or any combination thereof. For preventative benefit, a subject at risk of developing a particular disease or reporting one or more physiological symptoms of a disease can receive treatment even if the disease has not been diagnosed.

[0026] Generally, the methods include or can be used to improve such conditions by mediating the production (e.g., by microbial metabolism) of phytonutrients in a subject (wherein the phytonutrients mediate an effect in the subject). For example, in certain embodiments, the methods may be used to improve a medical condition through anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, autophagy, mitochondrial, gut barrier, microbiota composition, immune, neurological, and / or anti-aging effects. In these or other embodiments, the methods may be used to improve a condition affecting a subject's endurance, heart health, skin health, insulin sensitivity, eye health, cognition (e.g., memory), liver health, elevated cholesterol, hormone balance, reproductive health, and / or digestive health. For example, the methods can be used to improve such conditions by improving visual function, suppressing inflammation (e.g., by inhibiting inflammatory enzymes such as lipoxygenase (LPO) and cyclooxygenase (COX-1, COX-2)), reducing oxidant concentrations, increasing vasodilation, controlling blood glucose and / or lipid levels, inhibiting a step in the cancer process (e.g., by increasing apoptosis and / or decreasing metastasis, signal transduction, transcription factor activity, cell adhesion, etc.), or combinations thereof.

[0027] It should be appreciated from the foregoing that the specific biological effect mediated by the production of a phytonutrient in a subject is not limited and can vary widely in terms of mechanism of action and overall health benefit mediated to a subject. For example, in some embodiments, the method includes mediating the production of 2,4,6-trihydroxybenzoic acid (2,4,6-THBA) (i.e., a phytonutrient) from cyanidin-3-glucoside (i.e., a phytonutrient precursor compound) to affect biological processes related to cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK1, 2, 4) and / or cell proliferation, thereby ameliorating conditions including colon cancer. In these or other embodiments, the methods include mediating the production of short-chain fatty acids, paragonidin-3-O-glucoside, and / or another phytonutrient from anthocyanins (i.e., phytonutrient precursor compounds) to affect biological processes including intestinal barrier function, autophagy, or MAPK, and / or NF-kb, thereby improving disease states including intestinal barrier function, cellular senescence, neuroprotection, and / or hyperglycemia.

[0028] In these or other embodiments, the methods include mediating the production of phytonutrients from delphinidin (i.e., phytonutrient precursor compounds) to affect biological processes involving CBR, ERα / β, EGFR, BCRP, and / or SGLT-1, thereby improving cardiovascular health, neuroprotection, and / or disease conditions including hyperglycemia. In these or other embodiments, the method mediates the action of hesperitin, dihydrocaffeic acid, isoferulic acid, 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, dihydroferulic acid, ferulic acid, resorcinol, phloroglucinol, 2,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, phloretic acid, phloroglucinic acid, hydrocyanic acid, 3-(3'-hydroxyphenyl)propionic acid, protocatechuic acid, and / or hippuric acid (i.e., phytonutrients) from hesperidin and / or naringin (i.e., precursor compounds of phytonutrients) to affect biological processes including RANKL-induced osteoclast formation, SCFA production, transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER), and / or claudins, thereby ameliorating conditions including leaky gut syndrome, intestinal barrier function, gastrointestinal inflammation, and / or bone loss due to metabolic syndrome (MetS). In these or other embodiments, the methods include mediating the production of polyphenols (i.e., phytonutrient precursor compounds) derived hydrocaffeic acid (HCAF), dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (dOHPA), and hydroferulic acid (HFER) (i.e., phytonutrients) to affect levels of cytokines IL-1β, IL-8, and TNF-α, levels of malonyl aldehyde (MDA), and / or oxidative DNA damage (e.g., measured as levels of 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine) in the distal colonic mucosa, thereby ameliorating conditions associated with inflammation.In these or other embodiments, the method comprises mediating the production of urolithin A (i.e., a phytonutrient) from ellagic acid (i.e., a phytonutrient precursor compound) to affect biological processes including reduction of inflammatory markers (iNOS, cyclooxygenase-2, PTGES, and PGE(2)) in the colonic mucosa, mitochondrial function, inhibition of Aβ deposition by UA, periplaque microgliosis and astrocytosis in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus, activation of AMPK, activation of p65NF-κB and p38MAPK, and / or degradation of Base1 and APP, thereby ameliorating pathologies including neuronal and / or colonic inflammation, skeletal muscle health, cellular aging, and / or memory impairment. In these or other embodiments, the methods include mediating the production of phytonutrients from anthocyanins (i.e., phytonutrient precursor compounds) to affect biological processes including high glucose, palmitate-induced ROS overproduction, mitochondrial membrane disruption, and / or glutathione depletion in HepG2 cells, thereby ameliorating oxidative stress and damage and / or pathologies including diabetes (e.g., via antidiabetic activity).

[0029] The plant functional composition may be administered daily, several times daily, or in any suitable dosage regimen as needed to achieve the desired results. In the present methods, the frequency of administration depends on several factors, including the desired degree of prevention or improvement. Generally, the dosage regimen involves administering the plant functional composition to the subject once or twice daily, for example, including a morning administration and / or an evening administration. The amount of the composition administered to the subject during each administration depends on several factors, including the desired level of result and the particular composition utilized. Generally, the plant functional composition is administered in a therapeutically or physiologically effective amount. As used herein, the term "therapeutically effective amount" refers to the amount (i.e., quantity) of a composition (e.g., a plant functional composition of the present embodiments) needed to achieve a particular therapeutic and / or preventative effect, such as treatment of a patient. Similarly, as used herein, the term "physiologically effective amount" refers to the amount of a composition needed to achieve a desired physiological effect. Such effective amounts are typically measured and / or expressed in grams per day or fractions thereof (e.g., mg per day). Typically, the plant functional composition is administered in an amount effective to provide plant nutrients to the subject. In certain embodiments, the plant functional composition is administered in an amount effective to alter or improve the condition of the plant nutrient-producing bacteria in the subject. In these or other embodiments, the plant functional composition is administered in an amount effective to improve a medical condition in the subject.

[0030] In general, the plant functional compositions utilized in the present methods are not limited in formulation, peripheral ingredients, form, number of functions, etc. Rather, plant functional compositions may be of a wide variety, and many may be formulated in any manner consistent with the present disclosure. As introduced above, the plant functional compositions are utilized in the present methods to provide a health benefit to a subject, such as by improving the status of the subject's phytonutrient-producing bacteria with respect to a particular phytonutrient or a disease / disorder associated therewith.

[0031] The plant functional composition includes an active agent. The active agent is not particularly limited and may be any agent suitable for improving the condition of the target phytonutrient-producing bacteria. Typically, the active agent includes or is a probiotic, prebiotic, and / or phytonutrient precursor compound.

[0032] In some embodiments, the active agent is or includes a probiotic. As used herein, the term "probiotic" refers to one or more microorganisms that, when properly administered, can confer a health benefit to a host or subject. Thus, in certain embodiments, the plant functional composition comprises a population of microorganisms. Probiotic microorganisms can be obtained in a variety of ways. In certain embodiments, a population sample is collected from a human fecal sample and then cultured and processed into a probiotic. Examples of suitable probiotics typically include members of the Coriobacteraceae and / or Clostridium coccoides-Eubacterium lectale populations, as well as various Lactobacillus and Bifodobacterium genera. Examples of suitable probiotics include those from the Bacteroidaeae, Clostridiaceae, Prevotellaceae, Eubacteriaceae, Ruminococcusceae, Bifidobacteriaceae, Lactobacillaceae, Enterobacteriaceae, Saccharomyceteaceae, Methanobacteriaceae, etc., or combinations thereof. Specific examples include Clostridium orbicindens; Eubacterium oxidoreducens; Bacillus subtilis; Bacteroides distasonis; Bacteroides uniformis; Bacteroides obatus; Enterococcus caselflavus; Eubacterium ramulus; Lactobacillus enterococcus; Lachnospiraceae; Lactobacillus johnsonii; Bifidobacterium catenulatum; Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum; Go Rudonibacter urolithinfaciens; Gordonibacter pamelaeae; Clostridium coccoides; Clostridium leptum; Streptococcus intermedius; Ruminococcus productus; Eggerella species Julong 732; Enterococcus faecium EPI1; Lactobacillus mucosae EPI2; Finegoldia magna EPI3; Faecalibacterium; Slackia isoflavoniconverten; and Eggerella species; as well as various derivatives and / or combinations thereof.

[0033] In certain embodiments, the active agent is or includes a prebiotic. As used herein, the term "prebiotic" refers to a compound or combination of compounds that cannot be digested by a subject (e.g., an animal) but can selectively stimulate the growth and / or activity of one or a limited number of beneficial bacteria in the subject's microbiota. The term "prebiotic effect" also refers to the selective prebiotic stimulation of the growth and / or activity of one or a limited number of bacteria (e.g., bifidobacteria, lactobacilli, etc.) in the host's microbiota. Generally, prebiotics are not limited and can be any compound or combination of compounds that stimulate the growth of one or more microorganisms in the host's microbiome, including those exemplified herein for probiotics. Prebiotics may stimulate such growth directly (e.g., by providing nutrients to the microorganisms) and / or indirectly (e.g., by preventing the growth of competing microorganisms). Examples of suitable prebiotics typically include fibers, such as soluble fiber (i.e., those that dissolve in water) and insoluble fiber (i.e., those that do not dissolve in water). Examples of fibers include starch, non-starch polysaccharides and oligosaccharides, carbohydrate fibers, lignans, etc., and combinations thereof. Specific examples of fibers suitable for use in or as a prebiotic include cellulose, hemicellulose, arabinoxylan, polyfructose, inulin, oligofructans, galactooligosaccharides, gums, mucilage, pectin, dextrin, malodextrin, synthetic carbohydrates, polydextrose, methylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, waxes, phytin, cutin, saponin, suberin, tannins, chitosan, alginate, cardian, suberin, lignin, chitin, etc., and combinations thereof.

[0034] In specific embodiments, the prebiotic comprises, consists essentially of, or is fiber and / or starch. In such embodiments, the fiber and / or starch can be, without limitation, any of those exemplified by the general and specific examples of fiber and starch herein. In certain embodiments, the prebiotic comprises, consists essentially of, or is resistant starch, i.e., starch or starch digestion products that are not digested and / or absorbed in the stomach or small intestine of a subject, but instead are adapted to pass to the subject's large intestine (e.g., for consumption, fermentation, and / or metabolism by the subject's gut microbiota). Examples of suitable resistant starches for use in or as prebiotics, particularly in embodiments in which the subject is a mammal such as a human, are typically those classified by those skilled in the art as Category I resistant starches (e.g., starches that are physically inaccessible or indigestible by the subject, such as starches found in seeds, legumes, and unprocessed whole grains), Category II resistant starches (e.g., starches that are resistant to enzymatic degradation in the gut of a subject, including those that are enzymatically inaccessible due to the conformation of the starch, e.g., high amylose corn starch), Category III resistant starches (e.g., starches that result when starch-containing foods such as pasta are cooked and cooled), and / or Category IV resistant starches (e.g., starches that have been chemically modified to resist digestion).

[0035] In certain embodiments, the active agent is or includes a phytonutrient precursor compound. The phytonutrient precursor compound may be, but is not limited to, any compound derived from a plant source that can be microbially metabolized to a phytonutrient. In certain embodiments, the phytonutrient precursor compound is raw plant material. In these or other embodiments, the phytonutrient precursor compound is processed plant material, such as a compound or combination of compounds extracted, distilled, hydrolyzed, or otherwise obtained from plant material by natural and / or synthetic methods. In certain embodiments, the phytonutrient precursor compound is partially metabolized plant material (e.g., produced from microbial metabolism / digestion). Such partially metabolized plant material typically contains intermediates formed in the metabolic conversion of the plant material to a phytonutrient. Many intermediates are typically formed in the conversion (e.g., after metabolism) of the plant material (e.g., a compound extracted therefrom) to its corresponding phytonutrient. Thus, the phytonutrient precursor compound may be any such intermediate or combination of such intermediates. In this aspect, administration of the phytonutrient precursor compound to a subject can bypass the microbial metabolic steps otherwise required to produce a phytonutrient (e.g., from raw plant material).

[0036] Typical examples of plants that contain suitable phytonutrient precursors include fruits and / or berries, vegetables, nuts and / or seeds, beans, legumes, herbs and / or spices, etc., or combinations thereof.Some specific examples of such plants include red onions, capers, citrus fruits, cranberries, apples, grapes, sweet potatoes, bilberries, blackcurrants, pomegranates, red berries, walnuts, soybeans, flax or other seeds, cruciferous vegetables or other leafy vegetables, and / or green tea.Further examples of such plants can include whey, rice, wheat, legumes, potatoes, fruits, buckwheat, and / or corn.

[0037] Examples of types of phytonutrient precursor compounds suitable for use in accordance with the present disclosure typically include proteins, peptides, complex amino acids, lipids (e.g., fatty acids, sterols, prenols, glycolipids, glycerophospholipids, polyketides, glycosphingolipids, etc.), carotenoids, phenolic plant compounds, alkaloids, glucosinolates, polysachhalides, terpenes, betalains, polyacetylenes (e.g., falcarinol, falcarindiol, panaxydiol, oenanthetol, etc.), capsaicinoids (e.g., capsaicin, hydrocapsaicin, homocapsaicin, nonivamide, etc.), allium compounds (e.g., benzoyl peroxide ... Specific examples of carotenoid phytonutrient precursor compounds include carotenes (alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, cryptaxanthin, zeaxanthin, astaxanthin, lycopene, lutein, and the like), and derivatives, modifications, and combinations thereof.Some specific examples of phenolic phytonutrient precursor compounds include phenols, phenolic acids (e.g., benzoic and hydroxybenzoic acids such as gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, vanillic acid, syringic acid, etc.), cinnamic acids and hydroxycinnamic acids (e.g., p-coumaric acid, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, sinapic acid, etc.), flavonoids, flavonols (e.g., quercetin, kaempferol, myricetin, galangin, fisetin, etc.), flavones (e.g., apigenin, chrysin, luteolin, etc.), flavanols (e.g., catechin, epicatechin, epigallocatechin, etc.), and flavanols. Examples of alkaloid precursor compounds include anthocyanins (e.g., elidictyol, hesperitin, and naringenin), anthocyanidins (e.g., cyanidin, pelargonidin, delphinidin, peonidin, and malvidin), proanthocyanidins, isoflavonoids (e.g., genistine, daidzin, glycitein, and fornonetin), dihydroflavonols, flavan-3-ols, flavonoids, isoflavones, tannins, acetophenone, phenylacetic acid, coumarin, benzophenone, xanthones, stilbenes, chalcones, lignans, and secoiridins, as well as derivatives, modifications, and combinations thereof. Specific examples of alkaloid precursor compounds include ajmaline, berberine, caffeine, camptothecin, cocaine, codeine, hyoscyamine, irinolucan, morphine, nicotine, noscapine, oxycodone, oxymorphone, and papaverine, as well as derivatives, modifications, and combinations thereof. Specific examples of glucosinolate precursor compounds include glucoiberin, progoitrin, sinigrin, gluconaporeiferin, glucoraphanin, glucoallysin, glucokapparin, glucobrassicin, neoglucobrassicin, glucosinalbin, glucotropaeorulin, gluconasultiin, and the like, and derivatives, modifications, and combinations thereof. Some specific examples of polysaccharide precursor compounds include cellulose, hemicellulose, arabinoxylan, arabingalactan, polyfructose, polydextrose, methylcellulose, inulin, oligofructans, oligosaccharides (small sugars), gum, meillage, pectin, and the like, and derivatives, modifications, and combinations thereof.Specific examples of terpene precursor compounds include cinerine, geraniol, carotropin, strigol, caulerpenin, famesane, squalane, etc., and derivatives, modifications, and combinations thereof. Specific examples of betalain precursor compounds include betalain, betaxanthin, valgaxanthin, miraxanthin, portulaxanthin, indicaxanthin, etc., and derivatives, modifications, and combinations thereof.

[0038] In certain embodiments, the phytonutrient precursor compound comprises, consists essentially of, or is quercetin, cyanidin-3-glucoside, hesperidin, ellagic acid, daidzein(+), secoisolariciresinol diglucoside, glucosinolates, and / or epigallocatechin.

[0039] With respect to the examples of phytonutrient precursor compounds herein, modifications and / or derivatives of the compounds may be in various forms, and can be exemplified by metabolic and / or synthetic intermediates of such compounds, as well as naturally occurring and / or synthetically modified compounds. For example, epicatechin gallate is an ester of gallic acid and epicatechin. Thus, to illustrate the scope of some of the above examples, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that epicatechin and epicatechin gallate can be considered derivatives and / or modifications of each other (e.g., by esterification or hydrolysis). Therefore, it should be understood that the specific examples of phytonutrient precursor compounds are not intended to be limiting, but rather to illustrate that the methods and compositions of the present disclosure are suitable for use with a large number of phytonutrient precursor compounds.

[0040] In various embodiments, the plant functional composition includes multiple active agents, each of which can be independently selected. Typically, each active agent comprises or consists of at least one of the probiotics, prebiotics, and / or phytonutrient precursor compounds described above. However, in some embodiments, other active agents may be utilized in addition to agents suitable for improving the condition of the target phytonutrient-producing bacteria. In certain embodiments, the plant functional composition includes a combination of a probiotic and a phytonutrient precursor compound. In some embodiments, the plant functional composition is free of, or substantially free of, a phytonutrient precursor compound. In certain embodiments, the plant functional composition is provided as a kit, including a probiotic component and a phytonutrient precursor compound component. In such embodiments, the components of the kit may be administered together or separately (e.g., sequentially in any order).

[0041] In certain embodiments, the method includes identifying an active agent for improving or altering the status of a subject's phytonutrient-producing bacteria. For example, identification of an active agent may be based on the status of the subject's phytonutrient-producing bacteria, such as in personalized treatment based on a subject's unique microbiota signature. However, identification may also be based on the status of the phytonutrient-producing bacteria of one or more hosts other than the subject. For example, in certain embodiments, identifying an active agent includes conducting a population study to determine the phytonutrient-producing bacteria status of various individuals within a population. In such embodiments, the population study may assess (e.g., by mass spectrometry) the phytonutrient-producing bacteria status of individuals for any number of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or more specific phytonutrients, and classify each individual as a producer or non-producer (or poor producer) for each of the specific phytonutrients assessed (collectively, the individual's "phytonutrient production profile"). An active agent can then be selected to improve or alter the production characteristics of each individual assessed as not adequately producing or metabolizing a specific phytonutrient. In this embodiment, the active agent(s) of the plant functional composition are selected based on the specific deficiencies common to various individuals in the population, regardless of the subject's own microbiota function. In this way, the method provides both individualized and generalized treatment selection, and the plant functional composition has improved efficacy and / or effectiveness compared to treatments that do not take into account the results of the overall population's phytonutrient production analysis.

[0042] In some embodiments, identifying an active agent may involve conducting human intervention studies, experiments using other animal models (e.g., humanized mouse models), and / or studies, studies, and / or model-based experiments exemplified by in vivo colon models. For example, in certain embodiments, identifying an active agent involves conducting a human intervention study. In such embodiments, the human intervention study may include: (i) collecting fecal and / or colon microbiota samples and associated sequence data (e.g., metagenomics, 16S RNA, etc.; collectively, "microbiota genetic data") from participating subjects; (ii) administering phytonutrient precursor compounds to the participating subjects; (iii) collecting blood, fecal, and / or urine samples from the participating subjects; (iv) analyzing the blood, fecal, and / or urine samples for conversion of the phytonutrient precursor compounds to phytonutrients; (v) analyzing the microbiota genetic data related to genes responsible for conversion of the phytonutrient precursor compounds to phytonutrients; (vi) identifying genetic differences between phytonutrient producers and non-producers; (vii) identifying active agents (e.g., probiotics, prebiotics, and / or phytonutrient precursor compounds) to improve the status of the participating subjects' producer bacteria; (viii) administering to the participating subjects a plant functional composition comprising the identified active agents, optionally in combination with phytonutrient precursor compounds; and (ix) monitoring the conversion of the phytonutrient precursor compounds to phytonutrients. Similar work streams include ex vivo colon models, intestinal models, and humanized mouse models (e.g., utilizing germ-free mice fed human microbiota samples).

[0043] The plant functional composition may include any number of additional ingredients in addition to the active agent. For example, in some embodiments, the plant functional composition includes an additive component, which may include one or more additives. Examples of additives suitable for use in the additive component include amino acids, peptides, proteins, lipids, vitamins, carbohydrates, nucleic acids, minerals, anabolic nutrients, antioxidants, probiotic bacterial strains, fat agents, extracts, concentrates, oils, gums, fibers, starches, and combinations thereof. In certain embodiments, the plant functional composition includes an additive component, which includes amino acids, peptides, proteins, lipids, vitamins, carbohydrates, nucleic acids, minerals, anabolic nutrients, antioxidants, probiotic bacterial strains, fat agents, or combinations thereof. In these or other embodiments, the additive component includes a flavoring, a color, a flow improver, a preservative, a filler, a binder, a dispersant, a carrier, a nutritional supplement, or any combination thereof. In certain embodiments, the additive component includes a carrier, such as a consumable carrier, a nutritional carrier, and / or a pharmaceutical carrier, or a combination thereof. In certain embodiments, the additive component comprises proteins, peptides, and / or complex amino acids of animal, algae, and / or fungal origin, such as egg protein isolate.

[0044] In addition to the additives listed above, specific examples of additives suitable for use in the additive component include pea protein isolate, isomaltooligosaccharides, rice protein concentrate, 2'-fucosylactose powder, flaxseed, organic cane sugar, natural flavors, high oleic sunflower oil, L-lysine hydrochloride, medium chain triglycerides, L-leucine, silica, L-valine, L-alanyl-L-glutamine, L-isoleucine, xanthan gum, vitamins, minerals, zinc gluconate, ascorbic acid, manganese gluconate, alpha tocopheryl acetate, L-leucine, L-lysine hydrochloride, L-lysine alcohol, L-lysine acetoacetate, L-lysine hydrochloride, L-lysine alcohol. Examples of additives include copper gluconate, D-biotin, retinyl palmitate, niacinamide, cholecalciferol, calcium pantothenate, chromium picolinate, pyridoxine HCl, riboflavin, potassium iodide, thiamine HCl, calcium L-5-methyltetrahydrofolate, selenomethionine, and methylcobalamin, Monk Fruit Extract, vanilla, rosemary extract, cocoa powder, vitamin E, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, folic acid, vitamin B12, biotin, pantothenic acid, phosphorus, iodine, magnesium, zinc, selenium, copper, manganese, and combinations thereof. Of course, ingredients other than additives can also be used in the plant functional composition.

[0045] The plant functional composition can be administered orally to a subject, although other routes of administration can also be utilized. When formulated for oral administration, the plant functional composition can be presented in discrete units (e.g., capsules, cachets, lozenges, tablets, etc.), each containing a predetermined amount of the plant functional composition (e.g., a recommended dose). However, the plant functional composition can be in any form, such as a dry powder, solution, suspension, or emulsion. In certain embodiments, the plant functional composition is a dry powder. In some embodiments, the plant functional composition is adapted to be consumed as a liquid. For example, the plant functional composition can be a dry powder that is combined with a consumable liquid (e.g., water) to form a consumable liquid solution, suspension, or emulsion containing the plant functional composition.

[0046] In certain embodiments, the plant functional composition can be adapted to be mixed with a foodstuff or beverage. As used herein, the term "foodstuff" refers to a material that can be used as a food. Thus, in certain embodiments, the term "foodstuff" is used to describe a composition that can be consumed (e.g., by eating) by an organism (e.g., a mammal), such as for nutrition and / or sustenance. Similarly, as used herein, the term "beverage" refers to a drinkable liquid or other non-solid composition. Thus, in certain embodiments, the term beverage is used to describe a non-solid (e.g., liquid, slurry, suspension, etc.) composition that can be consumed by an organism for nutrition and / or sustenance. Thus, in certain embodiments, the terms "beverage" and "foodstuff" may overlap. In certain embodiments, the term "nutritional composition" is used to describe a food and / or beverage formulation that can be consumed by a human subject for nutrition. Thus, in some embodiments, the plant functional composition is an ingredient in a foodstuff or beverage.

[0047] In these or other embodiments, the plant functional composition is further defined as a food additive. As used herein, the term "food additive" refers to an ingredient, additive, component, or nutritional supplement suitable for incorporation into foods and / or beverages to provide a technological, nutritional, and / or health benefit (i.e., function) to the host consuming the foodstuff or beverage. Accordingly, such benefits may be closely related to the presence of phytonutrients in the subject. Food additives can be added to various types of foods, such as medical foods, dietary foods, and nutritional supplements. Particular aspects of this embodiment include the use of the plant functional composition as a food additive and the use of the plant functional composition in methods for preparing foods and / or beverages.

[0048] Generally, when utilized as a food or beverage ingredient, the food or beverage is comprised of a blend of the plant functional composition with one or more feed products, liquids, nutritional supplements, or combinations thereof. However, in certain embodiments, the plant functional composition itself may be further defined as a food or beverage composition, depending on the amount, nature, and identity of the individual additives and ingredients present in the plant functional composition, as described above. Accordingly, it should be understood that embodiments described herein with respect to a plant functional composition are intended to encompass foods or beverages, food or beverage products, and / or food supplements that include the plant functional composition. Accordingly, any amounts and / or examples of such ingredients described herein with respect to the plant functional composition itself equally apply to foods or beverages that include the plant functional composition.

[0049] In some embodiments, a food or beverage containing the plant functional composition is further defined as a nutritional composition. In these or other embodiments, the nutritional composition is in the form of a dry food concentrate, which is mixed with a liquid or food product and then consumed. Nutritional compositions are distinct from vaccines, and therefore, it should be understood that the plant functional compositions described herein may be free of, or substantially free of, vaccines.

[0050] In certain embodiments, the plant functional composition can be further defined as a dietary supplement or a complete nutritional food. As used herein, the term "nutraceutical" refers to a dietary supplement that is a concentrated source of nutrients or other substances with nutritional or physiological effects intended to supplement a normal diet. For example, a plant functional composition may be formulated to provide at least 5%, alternatively at least 10%, alternatively at least 25%, alternatively at least 50%, alternatively at least 75%, or alternatively at least 90% of the daily calories required by a mammal (e.g., a human) through consumption of the plant functional composition. However, the daily calorie requirement depends on several factors, including the sex, height, and / or age of the mammal, and therefore, of course, the proportion of the calorie requirement provided by the plant functional composition will depend on the particular person consuming the nutritional composition. For example, a 30-year-old human male weighing 80 kg and standing 180 cm tall requires approximately 2900 calories (calories) per day to maintain his / her weight, while a 30-year-old human female weighing 55 kg and standing 165 cm tall requires approximately 2100 calories per day to maintain his / her weight. In some embodiments, the food or beverage may be further defined as a medical food. Thus, a medical food may comprise a botanical functional composition, which may be the same as or different from the nutritional composition described above. As used herein, the term "medical food" typically refers to a food for a specialized dietary use, e.g., a food formulated for the dietary management of a disease (e.g., based on scientific or medical evaluation). However, it should be understood that the term "medical food" may have one or more specific definitions, depending, for example, on geographic location, specific use, regulatory agency, etc. For example, in certain cases, the term medical food may be defined as a food formulated to be consumed or administered enterally under physician supervision and intended for the specific dietary management of a disease or condition for which distinctive nutritional requirements based on recognized scientific principles are established by medical evaluation (see, e.g., Section 5(b) of the Orphan Drug Act (21 U.S.C. 360ee(b)(3)), incorporated herein by reference).In these or other instances, the term medical food may be defined as a special dietary food, specifically processed or formulated to meet the specific needs of a person, i.e., a medical food, to meet specific requirements for (a) a person who has a physical or physiological condition resulting from a disease, disorder, or injury, or (b) a person for whom a specific benefit, including but not limited to weight loss, should be achieved through controlled ingestion of the food (see, e.g., section B.24.001 of the Canadian Food and Drug Regulations (FDR, CRC, c. 870) (as amended June 13, 2017), which is incorporated herein by reference).

[0051] In certain embodiments, plant functional compositions are further defined as animal food.In such embodiments, plant functional compositions are typically formulated for consumption by one or more non-human animals, such as livestock including cattle, pigs, horses, sheep, goats, poultry and fish, domesticated species such as dogs, cats, fish and rodents, non-domestic wild animals such as deer, moose, elk, migratory birds and non-migratory birds, non-human animals as described herein, and combinations thereof.In certain embodiments, administering plant functional compositions to non-human subjects (e.g., animals) as animal food can increase the yield of one or more commodities produced by the host, such as eggs, meat, milk, wool, etc.

[0052] The following examples are intended to illustrate the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any way. [Example]

[0053] Example 1: Status of Phytonutrient-Producing Bacteria

[0054] The phytonutrient-producing bacterial status of 11 human subjects ("Subjects 1-11," or "S1"-"S11") was assessed by determining the microbial metabolism of various phytonutrient precursor compounds. Specifically, a representative microarray of the gut microbiota was constructed by in vivo fermentation of fecal samples from each donor and selected phytonutrient precursor compounds, as described in SELadirat et al., "High-throughput analysis of the impact of antibiotics on the human intestinal microbiota composition," Journal of Microbiological Methods 92 (2013), pp. 387-397 (incorporated herein by reference). The metabolism of the phytonutrient precursor compounds in each assay was then determined by monitoring the conversion (+), partial conversion (±), or no conversion (-) of the phytonutrient precursor compounds over time. The results of the microarray and the various phytonutrient precursor compounds used therein are listed below in Table 1.

[0055] [Table 1]

[0056] As shown in Table 1 , all but two subjects (S7 and S11) exhibited unique metabolic fingerprints that differed in their ability to metabolize the utilized phytonutrient precursor compounds.

[0057] Example 2: Identification of active compounds that mediate the status of phytonutrient-producing bacteria

[0058] To identify active compounds for use in plant functional compositions, various probiotics were evaluated for their ability to metabolize phytonutrient precursor compounds. Specifically, bacterial strains were obtained and stored at -80°C. The strains were then thawed, and the resulting cell suspensions were plated onto media plates with an inoculation needle and cultured for 3–5 days. The bacterial strains, media, and culture conditions are listed in Table 2 below.

[0059] [Table 2-1] [Table 2-2]

[0060] After 3 days, a colony from each culture was picked and pinned again to a separate agar plate to confirm purity. The cultures were then grown under optimal conditions for an additional 3–5 days, at which point another colony was picked and pinned to agar plates. The strains were then grown at 37°C under anaerobic conditions for 3–5 days to adapt the strains to the screen conditions.

[0061] 48 and 24 hours before the experiment, colonies were transferred to media (MSRB, BHIB, GGB, MRSph6.8B, and RCMB, maintained anaerobically for at least 48 hours before inoculation) and cultured at 37°C with shaking at 450 rpm under anaerobic conditions for 48 or 24 hours.

[0062] Various plant nutrient precursor compounds were dissolved in DMSO to a concentration of 10 mg / ml. 24 hours before the experiment, the compounds were mixed and diluted to a concentration of 0.5 mg / ml in DMSO. In triplicate, 10 μl of the compound mix and DMSO (control) were transferred to 2.0 mL deep-well plates. The resulting plates were sealed with breathable seals and stored anaerobically in jars at 4°C.

[0063] On the day of the experiment, all steps were performed under anaerobic conditions, and the OD of each strain was measured. 600 Measure the OD of the medium. 600 The strains were diluted to a pH of 0.5. The strains were then diluted 100-fold with culture medium, and 990 μL of the diluted strain-culture medium mix was added to 10 μL of compound / DMSO in the prepared plate wells. The cultures were then incubated anaerobically at 37°C on a shaker at 450 rpm for 48 hours.

[0064] Samples (100 μL) were taken from each well at t=0, 24, and 48 h and subjected to metabolite analysis (LC-MS) to determine consumption ("Yes"), partial metabolism ("?"), and no conversion ("No") of phytonutrient precursor compounds over time, and the results are shown in Tables 3 and 4 below.

[0065] [Table 3]

[0066] [Table 4]

[0067] In Tables 3 and 4 above, "Yes" was recorded to indicate that the corresponding phytonutrient precursor compound (i.e., quercetin, cyanidin-3-glucoside, epigallocatechin, hesperidin, ellagic acid, daidzein(+), or secoisolariciresinol diglucoside) was completely metabolized within 24 and / or 48 hours. "No" was recorded to indicate that no metabolism of the corresponding phytonutrient precursor compound was observed within 24 or 48 hours. "?" was recorded to indicate that partial metabolism / consumption of the corresponding phytonutrient precursor compound was observed within 24 and / or 48 hours.

[0068] A mixture of each phytonutrient precursor compound and its metabolites was prepared and diluted with spent medium to verify the separation and sensitivity at low concentrations observable by LC-MS. All phytonutrient precursor compounds were successfully detected at approximately 2 μg / mL (1:10 dilution) using 50:50 (%) spent medium / formic acid.

[0069] As shown in Tables 3 and 4, selected probiotic strains may be used in or as active agents in plant functional compositions to microbially metabolize specific phytonutrient precursor compounds. These active agents are readily determined via microarrays in a convenient and efficient manner for a variety of phytonutrient precursor compounds. Furthermore, because phytonutrient precursor compounds are not universally metabolized, as demonstrated in Example 1 above, active agents may be selected based on the status of the target producer bacteria, for example, via a personalized metabolic panel.

[0070] As will be apparent to one skilled in the art, the present disclosure provides, in a first embodiment, a method for altering the status of phytonutrient-producing bacteria in a subject, the method comprising administering to the subject a phytonutrient functional composition comprising phytonutrient precursor compounds, probiotics and / or prebiotics, and an active agent adapted to mediate the production of a preselected phytonutrient from the phytonutrient precursor compounds in the gastrointestinal tract of the subject, thereby altering the status of the phytonutrient-producing bacteria in the subject.

[0071] In a second embodiment, the method of the first embodiment further comprises determining the status of the phytonutrient-producing bacteria of the subject by assessing the level of a preselected phytonutrient or a preselected phytonutrient precursor compound in the subject prior to administering the plant functional composition thereto.

[0072] In a third embodiment, the method of the first or second embodiment is further characterized in that determining the state of phytonutrient-producing bacteria occurring in vivo in the subject comprises obtaining a sample from the gastrointestinal tract of the subject and quantifying a preselected phytonutrient in the sample.

[0073] In a fourth embodiment, the method of the third embodiment is characterized in that the sample is further defined as a fecal sample.

[0074] In a fifth embodiment, the method of the fourth embodiment further comprises culturing the fecal sample in the presence of a preselected phytonutrient precursor compound prior to quantifying the preselected phytonutrient in the sample.

[0075] In a sixth embodiment, the method of any one of the first to fifth embodiments is characterized in that the preselected phytonutrient is further defined as a first preselected phytonutrient, and identifying the status of the phytonutrient-producing bacteria further comprises assessing the level of at least one of a second preselected phytonutrient and a second preselected phytonutrient precursor compound in the subject, wherein the second preselected phytonutrient is a microbial metabolite of the second phytonutrient precursor compound, and the plant functional composition is adapted to mediate production of the second preselected phytonutrient in the gastrointestinal tract of the subject.

[0076] In a seventh embodiment, the method of the sixth embodiment is further characterized in that the first and second preselected plant nutrients are metabolically unrelated.

[0077] In an eighth embodiment, the method of any one of the first to seventh embodiments is further characterized in that (i) the preselected phytonutrient is a microbial metabolite of a phytonutrient precursor compound; (ii) mediating production of the preselected phytonutrient is further defined as increasing the level of microbial metabolism that produces the preselected phytonutrient in the gastrointestinal tract of the subject; or (iii) both (i) and (ii).

[0078] In a ninth embodiment, the method according to any one of the first to eighth embodiments is further characterized in that the active agent of the plant functional composition comprises a probiotic.

[0079] In a tenth embodiment, the method of the ninth embodiment is further characterized in that the probiotic comprises a bacterial strain capable of metabolizing a phytonutrient precursor compound to increase the level of a preselected phytonutrient in the gastrointestinal tract of the subject.

[0080] In an eleventh embodiment, the method of the tenth embodiment is further characterized in that the probiotic comprises (i) a Bifidobacterium, (ii) a Lactobacillus, or (iii) both (i) and (ii).

[0081] In a twelfth embodiment, the method of any one of the first to eleventh embodiments is further characterized in that altering the status of the subject's phytonutrient-producing bacteria is defined as increasing production of the preselected phytonutrient in the subject's gastrointestinal tract.

[0082] In a thirteenth embodiment, the method of any one of the first to twelfth embodiments is further characterized in that the plant functional composition is orally administered to the subject.

[0083] In a fourteenth embodiment, the method of any one of the first to thirteenth embodiments is further characterized in that the plant functional composition is administered to the subject in the form of a dosage formulation over a treatment period.

[0084] In a fifteenth embodiment, the method of the fourteenth embodiment is further characterized in that the amount and timing of each administration is selected to maintain the altered phytonutrient-producing bacterial state for the majority of the treatment period.

[0085] In a sixteenth embodiment, the method of any one of the first to fifteenth embodiments is characterized in that the phytonutrient precursor compound comprises (i) quercetin, (ii) cyanidin-3-glucoside, (iii) epigallocatechin, (iv) hesperidin, (v) ellagic acid, (vi) secoisolariciresinol diglucoside, (vii) a metabolite of any of (i) to (vi), or (viii) a combination of any of (i) to (vii).

[0086] In a seventeenth embodiment, the method of any one of the first to sixteenth embodiments is further characterized in that the plant nutrient is preselected from 2,4,6-trihydroxybenzoic acid, paragonidin-3-O-glucoside, hesperitin, urolithin A, hydroferulic acid, hydrocaffeic acid, and dihydroxyphenylacetic acid.

[0087] As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the present disclosure further provides, in an eighteenth embodiment, a plant functional composition for mediating microbial metabolism in a subject, the plant functional composition comprising a phytonutrient precursor compound and an active agent comprising a probiotic and / or a prebiotic, the active agent adapted to mediate the production of a preselected phytonutrient from the phytonutrient precursor compound in the gastrointestinal tract of the subject.

[0088] In a nineteenth embodiment, the plant functional composition according to the eighteenth embodiment is characterized in that the plant nutrient precursor compound comprises (i) quercetin, (ii) cyanidin-3-glucoside, (iii) epigallocatechin, (iv) hesperidin, (v) ellagic acid, (vi) secoisolariciresinol diglucoside, (vii) any metabolite of (i) to (vi), or (viii) any combination of (i) to (vii).

[0089] In a twentieth embodiment, the plant functional composition of the eighteenth or nineteenth embodiment is further characterized in that the active agent of the plant functional composition comprises a probiotic.

[0090] In a twenty-first embodiment, the botanical functional composition of the twentieth embodiment is further characterized in that the probiotic comprises a bacterial strain capable of metabolizing a phytonutrient precursor compound to increase the level of a preselected phytonutrient in the gastrointestinal tract of a subject.

[0091] In a 22nd embodiment, the plant functional composition of the 20th or 21st embodiment is further characterized in that the probiotic comprises (i) a Bifidobacterium sp., (ii) a Lactobacillus sp., or (iii) both (i) and (ii).

[0092] In a 23rd embodiment, the plant functional composition of any one of the 18th to 22nd embodiments is further characterized in that the plant nutrient is preselected from 2,4,6-trihydroxybenzoic acid, parargonidin-3-O-glucoside, hesperitin, urolithin A, hydroferulic acid, hydrocaffeic acid, and dihydroxyphenylacetic acid.

[0093] In a 24th embodiment, the plant functional composition of any one of the 18 to 23 embodiments is characterized in that the phytonutrient precursor compound is further defined as a first phytonutrient precursor compound and the preselected phytonutrient is further defined as a first preselected phytonutrient, and the plant functional composition further comprises a second phytonutrient precursor compound, and the active agent is adapted to mediate production of the first preselected phytonutrient from the first phytonutrient precursor compound and the second preselected phytonutrient from the second phytonutrient precursor compound in the gastrointestinal tract of the subject.

[0094] The terms "comprise" and "consist" are used herein in the broadest sense to mean and encompass the concepts of "comprise," "consist essentially of," and "consist." The use of "for example," "example," "such as," and "including" to list examples does not limit the examples listed. Thus, "for example" or "such as" means "for example, but not limited to" or "such as, but not limited to," and encompasses other similar or equivalent examples. The term "about" as used herein serves to reasonably encompass or describe slight variations in a numerical value measured by instrumental analysis or as a result of sample handling. Such slight variations may be on the order of ±0 to 10%, ±0 to 5, or ±0 to 2.5% of the numerical value. Furthermore, when the term "about" is used in relation to a range of numerical values, it applies to both numerical values. Furthermore, the term "about" may be applied to and apply to a numerical value even when not explicitly stated.

[0095] Generally, as used herein, a hyphen "-" or dash "-" within a range of values ​​means "~" or "from," ">" means "greater than" or "greater than," ≥" means "at least" or "greater than or equal to," <" means "less than" or "under," and ≤" means "at most" or "less than or equal to." On an individual basis, each of the foregoing patent applications, patents, and / or patent application publications is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety in one or more non-limiting embodiments.

[0096] It is understood that the appended claims are not limited to the explicit and specific compounds, compositions, or methods described in the detailed description, which may vary among specific embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, with respect to any Markush group relied upon herein to describe a particular feature or aspect of various embodiments, different, particular, and / or unexpected results may be obtained with each member of the respective Markush group, independent of all other Markush members. Each member of a Markush group may be relied upon individually or in combination to provide sufficient support for specific embodiments within the scope of the appended claims.

[0097] Furthermore, all ranges and subranges relied upon in describing various embodiments of the present invention are, independently and collectively, within the scope of the appended claims, and all ranges, including whole and / or fractional values, are intended to be described and contemplated therein, even if such values ​​are not expressly recited herein. Those skilled in the art will readily recognize that the recited ranges and subranges fully describe and enable various embodiments of the present invention, and that such ranges and subranges may be further subdivided into related halves, thirds, quarters, fifths, etc. By way of example only, the range "from 0.1 to 0.9" may be further subdivided into a lower third, i.e., 0.1 to 0.3, a middle third, i.e., 0.4 to 0.6, and an upper third, i.e., 0.7 to 0.9, which are individually and collectively within the scope of the appended claims and may be relied upon individually and / or collectively to provide sufficient support for particular embodiments within the scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, with respect to language defining or modifying a range, such as "at least," "greater than," "less than," "no more than," etc., it is clear that such language includes subranges and / or upper or lower limits. As another example, the range "at least 10" inherently includes subranges of at least 10 to 35, at least 10 to 25, 25 to 35, etc., each of which may be relied upon individually and / or collectively to provide sufficient support for particular embodiments within the scope of the appended claims. Finally, individual numerical values ​​within the disclosed ranges may be relied upon and provide sufficient support for particular embodiments within the scope of the appended claims. For example, the range "from 1 to 9" includes various individual integers, such as 3, as well as individual numbers containing decimal points (or fractions), such as 4.1, which may be relied upon and provide sufficient support for particular embodiments within the scope of the appended claims.

[0098] The present invention has been described herein in an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology which has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. The invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described within the scope of the appended claims. The subject matter of all combinations of independent and dependent claims, both singular and multiple dependent claims, is expressly contemplated herein.

Claims

1. Use of a phytonutrient precursor compound and an active agent, including a probiotic, for the manufacture of a plant functional composition for altering the state of a target phytonutrient-producing bacterium, comprising: Changing the state of plant nutrient-producing bacteria identifying a phytonutrient producer status of the subject by assessing the level of a preselected phytonutrient or a preselected phytonutrient precursor compound in the subject; Administering the plant functional composition to a subject; Including, The plant functional composition comprises a plant nutrient precursor compound and an active agent, wherein (i) the phytonutrient precursor compound comprises cyanidin-3-glucoside, and the active agent is selected from the group consisting of Bifidobacterium breve Bb-03, Bifidobacterium bifidum Bb-06, Bifidobacterium longum infantis Bi-26, Lactococcus lactis lactis Ll-23, Streptococcus thermophilus St-21, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM, Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001, Lactobacillus paracasei, and the like. Lactobacillus paracasei Lpc-37, Lactobacillus plantarum p-115, Lactobacillus acidophilus La-14, Lactobacillus casei Lc-11, Lactobacillus rhamnosus Lr-32, Lactobacillus salivarius Ls-33, Lactobacillus bulgaricus Lb-87, Lactobacillus brevis Lbr-35, Lactobacillus reuteri 1E1, Lactobacillus fermentum fermentum SBS-1, Lactobacillus gasseri Lg-36, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, Weissella confusa DGCC2236, and / or Saccharomyces cerevisiaecerevisiae) DGCC9624; (ii) the phytonutrient precursor compound comprises epigallocatechin and the active agent comprises Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001, Lactobacillus paracasei Lpc-37, Lactobacillus plantarum Lp-115, and / or Lactobacillus rhamnosus Lr-32; (iii) the phytonutrient precursor compound comprises hesperidin and the active agent comprises Lactobacillus casei Lg-36, and / or Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG; and / or (iv) the phytonutrient precursor compound comprises ellagic acid and the active agent comprises Lactococcus lactis lactis Ll-23; the active agent is adapted to mediate production of a preselected phytonutrient from the phytonutrient precursor compound in the gastrointestinal tract of the subject, thereby altering the phytonutrient production status of the subject; The use, wherein the probiotic comprises a bacterial strain capable of metabolizing the phytonutrient precursor compound to increase the level of the preselected phytonutrient in the gastrointestinal tract of the subject.

2. The plant functional composition comprises a plant nutrient precursor compound and an active agent, wherein (i) the phytonutrient precursor compound comprises cyanidin-3-glucoside, and the active agent is selected from the group consisting of Bifidobacterium breve Bb-03, Bifidobacterium bifidom Bb-06, Bifidobacterium longum infantis Bi-26, Streptococcus thermophilus St-21, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM, Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001, Lactobacillus paracasei Lpc-37, Lactobacillus plantarum p-115, Lactobacillus acidophilus Bb-116, Lactobacillus spp. Bb-117, Lactobacillus niger Bb-118, Lactobacillus niger Bb-119, Lactobacillus niger Bb-120, Lactobacillus niger Bb-121, Lactobacillus niger Bb-122, Lactobacillus niger Bb-123, Lactobacillus niger Bb-124, Lactobacillus niger Bb-125, Lactobacillus niger Bb-126, Lactobacillus niger Bb-127, Lactobacillus niger Bb-128, Lactobacillus niger Bb-129 ... Lactobacillus casei Lc-11, Lactobacillus rhamnosus Lr-32, Lactobacillus salivarius Ls-33, Lactobacillus bulgaricus Lb-87, Lactobacillus brevis Lbr-35, Lactobacillus reuteri 1E1, Lactobacillus fermentum SBS-1, Lactobacillus gasseri Lg-36, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, Weissella confusa DGCC2236, and / or Saccharomyces cerevisiae DGCC9624; and / or 2. The use of claim 1, wherein the phytonutrient precursor compound comprises epigallocatechin and the active agent comprises Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001 and / or Lactobacillus rhamnosus Lr-32.

3. Determining the status of the target phytonutrient-producing bacteria is performed in vitro; obtaining a sample from the gastrointestinal tract of said subject; and quantitating preselected plant nutrients in said sample; The use according to claim 2, comprising:

4. The use of claim 3, wherein the sample is a fecal sample, and the use further comprises culturing the fecal sample in the presence of the preselected phytonutrient precursor compound prior to quantifying the preselected phytonutrient in the sample.

5. 5. The use of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the preselected phytonutrient is further defined as a first preselected phytonutrient; identifying the phytonutrient-producing bacterial status further comprises assessing levels of at least one of a second preselected phytonutrient and a second preselected phytonutrient precursor compound in the subject, the second preselected phytonutrient being a microbial metabolite of a second phytonutrient precursor compound, the plant functional composition being adapted to mediate production of the second preselected phytonutrient in the gastrointestinal tract of the subject, and the first and second preselected phytonutrient are metabolically unrelated.

6. 6. The use of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein (i) the preselected phytonutrient is a microbial metabolite of the phytonutrient precursor compound, (ii) mediating production of the preselected phytonutrient is further defined as increasing the level of microbial metabolism that produces the preselected phytonutrient in the gastrointestinal tract of the subject, or (iii) both (i) and (ii).

7. The use according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the plant functional composition further comprises fiber and / or starch.

8. (i) the plant functional composition is orally administered to the subject; (ii) the plant functional composition is administered to the subject in a dosage formulation over a treatment period, the amount and timing of each administration being selected to maintain the altered plant nutrient-producing bacteria state for the majority of the treatment period; or (iii) both (i) and (ii) are performed. Use according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. The use according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein said phytonutrient precursor compound is provided in said plant functional composition as a component of a plant extract.

10. 10. The use according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the plant nutrient is preselected from 2,4,6-trihydroxybenzoic acid, pelargonidin-3-O-glucoside, hesperitin, urolithin A, hydroferulic acid, hydrocaffeic acid, and dihydroxyphenylacetic acid.

11. 1. A botanical functional composition for mediating microbial metabolism in a subject, comprising: a phytonutrient precursor compound comprising a plant extract; and an active agent comprising a probiotic; wherein (i) the phytonutrient precursor compound comprises cyanidin-3-glucoside, and the active agent is selected from the group consisting of Bifidobacterium breve Bb-03, Bifidobacterium bifidum Bb-06, Bifidobacterium longum infantis Bi-26, Lactococcus lactis lactis Ll-23, Streptococcus thermophilus St-21, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM, Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001, Lactobacillus paracasei, and the like. Lactobacillus paracasei Lpc-37, Lactobacillus plantarum p-115, Lactobacillus acidophilus La-14, Lactobacillus casei Lc-11, Lactobacillus rhamnosus Lr-32, Lactobacillus salivarius Ls-33, Lactobacillus bulgaricus Lb-87, Lactobacillus brevis Lbr-35, Lactobacillus reuteri 1E1, Lactobacillus fermentum fermentum SBS-1, Lactobacillus gasseri Lg-36, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, Weissella confusa DGCC2236, and / or Saccharomyces cerevisiaecerevisiae) DGCC9624; (ii) the phytonutrient precursor compound comprises epigallocatechin and the active agent comprises Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001, Lactobacillus paracasei Lpc-37, Lactobacillus plantarum Lp-115, and / or Lactobacillus rhamnosus Lr-32; (iii) the phytonutrient precursor compound comprises hesperidin and the active agent comprises Lactobacillus casei Lg-36, and / or Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG; and / or (iv) the phytonutrient precursor compound comprises ellagic acid and the active agent comprises Lactococcus lactis lactis Ll-23; The plant functional composition, wherein the active agent is adapted to mediate the production of a preselected phytonutrient from a phytonutrient precursor compound in the gastrointestinal tract of the subject, and the preselected phytonutrient is selected from 2,4,6-trihydroxybenzoic acid, pelargonidin-3-O-glucoside, hesperitin, urolithin A, hydroferulic acid, hydrocaffeic acid, and dihydroxyphenylacetic acid.

12. The plant functional composition comprises a plant nutrient precursor compound and an active agent, wherein (i) the phytonutrient precursor compound comprises cyanidin-3-glucoside, and the active agent is selected from the group consisting of Bifidobacterium breve Bb-03, Bifidobacterium bifidom Bb-06, Bifidobacterium longum infantis Bi-26, Streptococcus thermophilus St-21, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM, Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001, Lactobacillus paracasei Lpc-37, Lactobacillus plantarum p-115, Lactobacillus acidophilus Bb-116, Lactobacillus spp. Bb-117, Lactobacillus niger Bb-118, Lactobacillus niger Bb-119, Lactobacillus niger Bb-120, Lactobacillus niger Bb-121, Lactobacillus niger Bb-122, Lactobacillus niger Bb-123, Lactobacillus niger Bb-124, Lactobacillus niger Bb-125, Lactobacillus niger Bb-126, Lactobacillus niger Bb-127, Lactobacillus niger Bb-128, Lactobacillus niger Bb-129 ... Lactobacillus casei Lc-11, Lactobacillus rhamnosus Lr-32, Lactobacillus salivarius Ls-33, Lactobacillus bulgaricus Lb-87, Lactobacillus brevis Lbr-35, Lactobacillus reuteri 1E1, Lactobacillus fermentum SBS-1, Lactobacillus gasseri Lg-36, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, Weissella confusa DGCC2236, and / or Saccharomyces cerevisiae DGCC9624; and / or 12. The plant functional composition of claim 11, wherein the phytonutrient precursor compound comprises epigallocatechin, and the active agent comprises Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001 and / or Lactobacillus rhamnosus Lr-32.

13. The plant functional composition according to claim 11 or 12, further comprising fiber and / or starch.

14. The plant functional composition of any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein the active agent of the plant functional composition comprises a probiotic, the probiotic comprising a bacterial strain that is capable of (i) metabolizing the phytonutrient precursor compound to increase the level of the preselected phytonutrient in the gastrointestinal tract of the subject.

15. 15. The plant functional composition of any one of claims 11-14, wherein the phytonutrient precursor compound is further defined as a first phytonutrient precursor compound, the preselected phytonutrient is further defined as a first preselected phytonutrient, the plant functional composition further comprises a second phytonutrient precursor compound, and the active agent is adapted to mediate production of the first preselected phytonutrient from the first phytonutrient precursor compound and a second preselected phytonutrient from the second phytonutrient precursor compound in the gastrointestinal tract of the subject.

16. 1. Use of a phytonutrient precursor compound and an active agent, including a probiotic, for the manufacture of a plant functional composition for increasing the production of a phytonutrient in a target, the active agent comprising: Increasing the production of a target plant nutrient (1) Identifying phytonutrients at low levels by determining the status of phytonutrient producers and the level of phytonutrients in the subject by the following steps: (i) obtaining a microbiome sample from the subject; (ii) culturing the microbiome sample to produce metabolites from the phytonutrients; (iii) monitoring metabolites from said phytonutrients to determine metabolism; (iv) analyzing the metabolic fingerprint to determine which phytonutrients are not metabolized by the subject; (2) Selecting biotics that metabolize non-metabolizable phytonutrients; and (3) administering to the subject the phytonutrient and a preselected probiotic that metabolizes the phytonutrient, thereby increasing the level and production of the metabolized phytonutrient in the subject; Including, wherein (i) the phytonutrient precursor compound comprises cyanidin-3-glucoside, and the active agent is selected from the group consisting of Bifidobacterium breve Bb-03, Bifidobacterium bifidum Bb-06, Bifidobacterium longum infantis Bi-26, Lactococcus lactis lactis Ll-23, Streptococcus thermophilus St-21, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM, Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001, Lactobacillus paracasei, and the like. Lactobacillus paracasei Lpc-37, Lactobacillus plantarum p-115, Lactobacillus acidophilus La-14, Lactobacillus casei Lc-11, Lactobacillus rhamnosus Lr-32, Lactobacillus salivarius Ls-33, Lactobacillus bulgaricus Lb-87, Lactobacillus brevis Lbr-35, Lactobacillus reuteri 1E1, Lactobacillus fermentum fermentum SBS-1, Lactobacillus gasseri Lg-36, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, Weissella confusa DGCC2236, and / or Saccharomyces cerevisiaecerevisiae) DGCC9624; (ii) the phytonutrient precursor compound comprises epigallocatechin and the active agent comprises Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001, Lactobacillus paracasei Lpc-37, Lactobacillus plantarum Lp-115, and / or Lactobacillus rhamnosus Lr-32; (iii) the phytonutrient precursor compound comprises hesperidin and the active agent comprises Lactobacillus casei Lg-36, and / or Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG; and / or (iv) The phytonutrient precursor compound comprises ellagic acid and the active agent comprises Lactococcus lactis lactis Ll-23.

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