Abstract
Background:The gut microbiome plays a vital role in maintaining intestinal homeostasis, and its modulation through dietary interventions has garnered considerable interest in improving human health. In this study, we investigated the effect of traditional Kazakh fermented milk products derived from camel milk on the gut microbiome of rats. Objective:The animals were divided into three groups: the Bactrian milk group (BCM), the camel yogurt group (CMY), and the camel cheese group (CMC). Results:After 4 weeks of intervention, the relative abundance of bacterial taxa varied significantly in the BCM and Bactrian milk derivative groups. The CMY group demonstrated a 2-fold increase in the relative abundance of the genus Ligilactobacillus (p=0.032), whereas the CMC group showed a 3-fold decrease (p=0.009). Prevotella_9 exhibited an inverse abundance vector in the CMY (p=0.0005) and CMC (p=0.0001) groups compared to the BCM group. Additionally, 53 metabolic pathways were predicted, each showing varying relative abundances in response to dietary interventions. Notably, the metabolic pathways associated with amines, polyamines, cell structure, fatty acids, and nucleoside and nucleotide biosynthesis underwent the greatest changes. Conclusion:Consumption of camel milk yogurt led to an increase in biodiversity and abundance in the gut microbiota (p<0.01), as evidenced by Shannon and Simpson's indices. In summary, our study demonstrates that fermented camel milk products significantly influence the gut microbiome and metabolic pathways.Keywords: Bactrian camel milk, gut microbiota, rats, yogurt, soft cheese