Effects of simultaneous intake of dietary fermented foods and processed meat products on the risk of colorectal cancer

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of fermented food consumption on the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) related to processed meat intake using a mouse model. Processed meat products and fermented foods were supplemented to analyze heterocyclic amines (HCA) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels and the gut microbiota in mice. The study determined age to be a non-influential factor. While HCAs were detected in all the processed meat samples, no CRC development was observed, even when they consumed excessive amounts of these processed meats, either alone or in combination with fermented foods. Bacteroides and Alistipes were the most predominant gut microbiota. Kimchi, soybean paste, and red pepper paste showed a decreasing trend in the ratio of these bacteria associated with gut inflammation, but the results were inconclusive because this trend was inconsistent. Therefore, this study found that fermented foods did not significantly affect CRC risk indicators associated with dietary processed meat intake, regardless of age. This study wanted to determine the short-term but high consumption of processed meat effects on the CEA levels and colorectal cancer development in mice. As a result, the high consumption of processed meat with or without fermented food did not significantly affect the CEA levels and gut microbiota diversity of the subjects. This suggests that processed meat, even at high amounts, did not increase the risk of colorectal cancer, evident on the normal CEA levels and absence of colorectal cancer signs on the colon.image