This study will evaluate the effects of substituting red and processed meat in the diet with Quorn; a meat replacement product, on biomarkers of gut health. This will be a crossover design where participants will take part in 2 study periods where they will consume a diet containing red and processed meat during one of the study periods, whereas in the other study period, they will consume a diet containing Quorn.
There is a strong association between a diet which is high in red and processed meat, while low in fibre, and the incidence of colorectal cancer. This study aims to evaluate the effects of replacing red and processed meat in the diet with an alternative meat product such as Quorn, on biomarkers of gut health that may be associated with colorectal cancer. Quorn is a product which has a considerable fibre component; thus, the replacement of red and processed meat with Quorn, will not only reduce the amount of compounds implicated to have deleterious effects in the gastrointestinal tract (E.G. haem, nitroso compounds, heterocyclic amines), but will also increase the delivery of fibre into the gastrointestinal system, that may well have an overall positive impact on gut health. In this study, the participants will consume 240 grams (raw weight) of either red and processed meat, or Quorn each day for a 2 week period, this will be followed by a 4 week period where they will return to their usual dietary habits; before swapping to consume the alternative food (red/processed meat or Quorn) for another 2 week period.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
20
Integration of 240 grams (raw weight) of red and processed meat into daily diet for 2 week period.
Integration of 240 grams (uncooked weight) of Quorn into daily diet for 2 week period.
Northumbria University
Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, United Kingdom
Genotoxic potential of Faecal extracts from volunteers consuming intervention diets rich in red and processed meat versus diets containing Quorn
Changes in the DNA damage causing capacity of aqueous stool extracts, assessed against HT29 and Caco-2 cells using the Comet assay.
Time frame: 2 weeks- Change from baseline following two week intervention with meat versus Quorn consumption
Oxidative Damage
Changes in the concentration of 8-Hydroxyguanosine levels in urine samples.
Time frame: 2 weeks- Change from baseline following two week intervention with meat versus Quorn consumption
Endogenous Short Chain Fatty Acid Production
Changes from baseline in the concentration of short chain fatty acids in stool samples, measures of propionate, acetate, butyrate valerate and isovalerate via Gas Chromatography.
Time frame: 2 weeks- Change from baseline following two week intervention with meat versus Quorn consumption
Gut Microbial Composition
Evaluation of post-intervention changes in the composition of the stool microbiota composition from baseline samples.
Time frame: 2 weeks- Change from baseline following two week intervention with meat versus Quorn consumption
Endogenous Production of Para-Cresol
Change in the concentration of the genotoxic metabolite para-cresol in urine samples
Time frame: 2 weeks- Change from baseline following two week intervention with meat versus Quorn consumption
Changes in MicroRNA Expression
Evaluation of change in the abundance of microRNAs in plasma separated from blood samples following the intervention.
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Time frame: 2 weeks- Change from baseline following two week intervention with meat versus Quorn consumption