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Impact of propionic acid-rich diets on microbial composition of the murine gut microbiome

Noah Greenman1, Latifa S Abdelli2, Sayf Al-Deen Hassouneh1

  • 1Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, United States.

Frontiers in Microbiomes
|March 19, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Dietary propionic acid (PPA), a food preservative, alters gut bacteria composition and metabolic pathways in mice. This research reveals potential health implications of PPA on the gut microbiome.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Metagenomics
  • Gut Microbiome Research

Background:

  • Propionic acid (PPA) is an antifungal agent and food additive.
  • PPA is linked to atypical neurodevelopment and gastrointestinal dysfunction in mice.
  • Gut dysbiosis is a potential consequence of PPA exposure, but direct investigation is lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effects of dietary PPA on gut microbial composition.
  • To identify PPA-associated alterations in bacterial metabolic pathways.
  • To explore the link between PPA, gut dysbiosis, and potential health impacts.

Main Methods:

  • Long-read metagenomic sequencing of mouse gut microbiomes.
  • Comparison of microbial composition and metabolic pathways between untreated and PPA-fed mice.
  • Analysis of specific bacterial taxa and their association with PPA.

Main Results:

  • Dietary PPA significantly altered gut microbial composition.
  • Increased abundance of taxa like *Bacteroides*, *Prevotella*, and *Ruminococcus* observed in PPA-exposed mice.
  • Enriched pathways in PPA-exposed mice included lipid metabolism and steroid hormone biosynthesis.

Conclusions:

  • Propionic acid demonstrably alters gut microbiota and associated metabolic functions.
  • These changes suggest a mechanism by which a common food additive may impact gut health.
  • Findings highlight the need to consider the microbiome effects of food preservatives.
Keywords:
dysbiosisgut microbiomemetagenomicsnanopore sequencingpropionic acidthird-generation sequencing

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