Food DNA Digestion

Conditions

• Digestion Rate

Eligibility Criteria

Sex

ALL

Age

18 Years - N/A

Healthy Volunteers

Accepted

Interventions

• Reconstitutable food powder — DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT
  During the intervention week, participants will be asked take one dose of a reconstitutable food powder provided in a ziplock bag. This powder will be a mix of Gatorade Zero Powder (1 serving) and 1 serving of commercially available powders of either one or all of the following: camu camu, kelp or maqui. The powder mix in the bag will be added to water and drunk by the participant as soon as possible after having a bowel movement (baseline stool sample). Food powders are sourced from reputable companies and are safe for consumption (Gatorade is a wellrecognized brand and available in grocery stores nationally, Navitas Organics provides certified organic, third-party tested plant food powders with fairtrade certification).

Study Details

This pilot study investigates the digestion rate of naturally occurring food DNA through the human digestive tract by detecting residual food DNA in stool samples. The investigators hypothesize that food DNA primarily transits through the digestive system within 24 hours, with maximal detection in stool samples collected the day after ingestion. Previous research has focused on food DNA digestion in human gastric juices, leaving digestion through the entire gut largely unexplored. This study employs a fixed-order within subjects design involving healthy participants. Each participant will submit a baseline stool sample, consume a single dose of a study-specific powdered food (reconstituted in water) differing from their usual diet, and provide the subsequent five stool samples. If five samples are collected in fewer than five days, an additional sample will be obtained on the fifth day post-consumption. The presence and decline of food specific DNA in these samples will be quantified using qPCR, enabling us to determine the digestion rate of food DNA. The study design poses with minimal risk as it non-invasively monitors the natural process of food DNA digestion and transit through stool sample analysis.

Key Dates

Start date

Jul 1, 2026

Status verified

Mar 2026

Primary completion

Jul 1, 2027

Completion

Jul 1, 2027

Study Design

Enrollment

20 participants (estimated)

Allocation

NA

Intervention model

SINGLE_GROUP

Primary purpose

OTHER

Arms

• Other: Stool samples + consumption of powdered food
  Each participant will submit a baseline stool sample, consume a single dose of a study-specific powdered food (reconstituted in water) differing from their usual diet, and provide the subsequent five stool samples. If five samples are collected in fewer than five days, an additional sample will be obtained on the fifth day post-consumption

Primary Outcome Measure

Transit time of naturally occurring food DNA through the human digestive tract [ Time Frame: Approximately 5-8 days ]

Central Contacts

• Veronica M Carrion
  919-660-7341
  [email protected]

Locations (1)

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