Identification of Single and Combined Serum Metabolites Associated with Food Intake
Journal article, 2022

Assessment of dietary intake is challenging. Traditional methods suffer from both random and systematic errors; thus objective measures are important complements in monitoring dietary exposure. The study presented here aims to identify serum metabolites associated with reported food intake and to explore whether combinations of metabolites may improve predictive models. Fasting blood samples and a 4-day weighed food diary were collected from healthy Swedish subjects (n = 119) self-defined as having habitual vegan, vegetarian, vegetarian + fish, or omnivore diets. Serum was analyzed for metabolites by 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Associations between single and combined metabolites and 39 foods and food groups were explored. Area under the curve (AUC) was calculated for prediction models. In total, 24 foods or food groups associated with serum metabolites using the criteria of rho > 0.2, p < 0.01 and AUC ≥ 0.7 were identified. For the consumption of soybeans, citrus fruits and marmalade, nuts and almonds, green tea, red meat, poultry, total fish and shellfish, dairy, fermented dairy, cheese, eggs, and beer the final models included two or more metabolites. Our results indicate that a combination of metabolites improve the possibilities to use metabolites to identify several foods included in the current diet. Combined metabolite models should be confirmed in dose–response intervention studies.

serum metabolites

4-day dietary record

habitual food intake

1 H-NMR metabolomics

food intake

Author

Therese Karlsson

University of Gothenburg

Chalmers, Biology and Biological Engineering, Food and Nutrition Science

Anna Winkvist

Umeå University

University of Gothenburg

Millie Rådjursöga

University of Gothenburg

Lars Ellegård

Sahlgrenska University Hospital

Anders Pedersen

University of Gothenburg

Helen Lindqvist

University of Gothenburg

Metabolites

2218-1989 (ISSN) 22181989 (eISSN)

Vol. 12 10 908

Subject Categories

Food Science

Environmental Health and Occupational Health

Nutrition and Dietetics

DOI

10.3390/metabo12100908

PubMed

36295810

More information

Latest update

10/26/2023