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The obesity-microbiome story is more complicated than ‘good’ and ‘bad’ bacteria

This review finds that obesity is linked to reciprocal interactions between diet, the gut microbiome, microbial metabolites, and host metabolic pathways that influence appetite, insulin sensitivity, inflammation, and energy balance across the lifespan. It highlights diet as a particularly tractable way to influence this system, while emphasizing that microbiome changes associated with GLP-1 therapies remain difficult to separate from weight loss and that functional multi-omics approaches may help enable more personalized interventions.

3 Sep 2026

Could the type of fiber children eat matter for their developing gut microbiome?

A recent study found that different dietary fibers can shape the composition and activity of the gut microbiome during early childhood, with xyloglucan, arabinoxylan, and pectin increasing short-chain fatty acid production in laboratory fermentation experiments. Some fibers also supported gut barrier measures and altered inflammatory responses, while observational data linked higher pectin intake with greater microbial diversity in young children.

31 Aug 2026

Why pulses could play a bigger role in healthy and sustainable diets

A narrative review finds that pulses may support gut and metabolic health through their fiber, protein, phytochemicals, and interactions with the gut microbiota, while offering a lower environmental footprint than many animal protein sources. Human evidence is strongest for selected cardiometabolic outcomes, while many microbiome and fermentation-related benefits remain supported mainly by animal and laboratory studies.

9 Aug 2026

New research highlights carbohydrate role in early human brain development

Fruit, honey and other naturally sweet foods may have helped fuel the evolution of the human brain, according to new research from the University of Sydney and the University of Glasgow.

7 Aug 2026

Gut microbiome shifts may begin before Alzheimer’s symptoms appear

A narrative review links reduced SCFA-producing gut bacteria and altered microbial metabolism with Alzheimer’s disease, while early evidence suggests similar changes may appear before cognitive symptoms. Mediterranean, DASH, MIND, and prudent diets are associated with beneficial microbial profiles, but direct evidence connecting diet, the microbiome, and amyloid pathology remains limited.

3 Aug 2026

Microbial metabolites could help improve functional cure rates for hepatitis B

Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) remains a major global challenge. Current therapies suppress HBV but rarely achieve functional cure (sustained HBsAg loss).

30 Jul 2026

How real-time off-gas analysis improves fermentation process control

Real-time off-gas analysis helps optimize fermentation by improving process control, reducing failed batches and supporting faster development.

From Thermo Fisher Scientific – Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical Solutions 29 Jul 2026

Evonik invests US$100 million to upgrade its U.S. drug substance contract manufacturing site

Evonik is making a significant investment to strengthen manufacturing capabilities at its Lafayette (Tippecanoe), Indiana facility.

From Evonik 14 Jul 2026

AI could accelerate commercialization of bio-based chemical manufacturing

The era of "biomanufacturing", in which microbes, not petroleum, produce chemical products, is one step closer. A KAIST research team has analyzed the key challenges limiting the commercialization of biomanufacturing and proposed an AI-driven strategy for industrialization.

13 Jul 2026

Study links chronic xanthan gum consumption to colon inflammation

Xanthan gum is found almost everywhere. This food additive has thickening, stabilizing, and gelling properties and is one of the most widely used by the food industry to adjust the consistency of ice cream, yogurt, cakes, sauces, and gluten-free pasta.

13 Jul 2026

BW Fusion enhances consistency for ag-tech R&D with INTEGRA Biosciences’ liquid handling tools

INTEGRA Biosciences' ASSIST PLUS and VOYAGER pipette revolutionize BW Fusion's R&D, boosting throughput and reliability in agricultural biotech processes.

From INTEGRA Biosciences 9 Jul 2026

Botanical prebiotics may steer skin microbes toward healthier balance

Researchers tested plant-derived prebiotic candidates against selected skin-associated bacteria and found that garlic, flaxseed, and mango ginger extracts inhibited S. aureus or acne-associated C. acnes in vitro. Onion and guduchi extracts modestly promoted S. epidermidis, suggesting a microbiome-targeted skincare route that now needs validation in skin models and human studies.

30 Jun 2026

Children and adults who eat more live microbe-rich foods have healthier diets

French children and adults widely consumed foods likely to contain live microbes, mainly yogurt, unpasteurised cheese, fruits, and vegetables. Higher intake was associated with more nutrient-rich diets and better diet quality scores, but the cross-sectional study cannot prove health benefits.

29 Jun 2026

Synthetic gut communities reveal how diet rewires the microbiome

Synthetic microbial communities give researchers controlled models for testing how diet reshapes gut microbial ecology, metabolism, and host-relevant responses. The review highlights how SynComs can strengthen causal inference, improve intervention testing, and support future precision nutrition, while noting major challenges in stability, standardization, and ecological realism.

21 Jun 2026

Sidewalk yeast species could lead to eco-friendly mosquito traps

An orange-colored yeast species isolated from a Baltimore sidewalk several years ago could be the basis of eco-friendly mosquito traps that reduce malaria transmission, according to a new study from researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

17 Jun 2026

Prebiotic fiber supplement reduces harmful gut metabolites and improves liver health

A study conducted at the University of Jyväskylä, Finland, was the first to investigate the effects of prebiotic xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS) on fatty liver in humans.

16 Jun 2026

Short-chain oat fiber helps steady glucose and ease gut symptoms in pilot trial

A 14-day open-label pilot study in 63 healthy adults found that short-chain oat fiber was well tolerated at doses up to 20 g/day and was associated with improved gastrointestinal symptom scores.

14 Jun 2026

Bioinformatics accelerates discovery of marine-derived bioactive therapeutic peptides

Marine organisms have evolved a remarkable arsenal of host-defense peptides under conditions of extreme variability and constant pathogen exposure. Generally defined as short chains of 2 to 20 amino acid residues, these molecules have become a focal point for biomedicine, food science, and materials science.

22 May 2026

Minimal exposure to modern medicine rapidly alters the human microbiome

Even minimal exposure to modern medicine can rapidly change the human microbiome. In a new study publishing May 20 in the Cell Press journal Cell Reports, researchers reveal that the gut microbes of remote Amazonian Indigenous communities began shifting toward patterns more commonly seen in urban, industrialized populations after only a few medical visits.

20 May 2026

Legumes and soy foods may help reduce hypertension risk

A higher dietary intake of soy and legumes is linked to a lower risk of high blood pressure, finds a pooled data analysis of the available evidence, published in the open access journal BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health.

8 May 2026