Composition of the gut microbiota changes during ageing, but questions remain about whether age is also associated with deficits in microbiome function and whether these changes occur sharply or progressively. The ability to define these deficits in populations of different ages may help determine a chronological age threshold at which deficits occur and subsequently identify innovative dietary strategies for active and healthy ageing. Here, active gut microbiota and associated metabolic functions were evaluated using shotgun proteomics in three well‐defined age groups consisting of 30 healthy volunteers, namely, ten infants, ten adults and ten elderly individuals. Samples from each volunteer at intervals of up to 6 months (n = 83 samples) were used for validation. Ageing gradually increases the diversity of gut bacteria that actively synthesize proteins, that is by 1.4‐fold from infants to elderly individuals. An analysis of functional deficits consistently identifies a relationship between tryptophan and indole metabolism and ageing (p < 2.8e−8). Indeed, the synthesis of proteins involved in tryptophan and indole production and the faecal concentrations of these metabolites are directly correlated (r2 > .987) and progressively decrease with age (r2 > .948). An age threshold for a 50% decrease is observed ca. 11–31 years old, and a greater than 90% reduction is observed from the ages of 34–54 years. Based on recent investigations linking tryptophan with abundance of indole and other “healthy” longevity molecules and on the results from this small cohort study, dietary interventions aimed at manipulating tryptophan deficits since a relatively “young” age of 34 and, particularly, in the elderly are recommended.

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Non-IgE-mediated gastrointestinal food allergy (non-IgE-GI-FA) is the name given to a series of pathologies whose main entities are food protein-induced allergic proctocolitis (FPIAP), food protein-induced enteropathy (FPE), and food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES). These are more uncommon than IgE-mediated food allergies, their mechanisms remain largely unknown, and their diagnosis is mainly done by clinical history, due to the lack of specific biomarkers. In this review, we present the latest advances found in the literature about clinical aspects, the current diagnosis, and treatment options of non-IgE-GI-FAs. We discuss the use of animal models, the analysis of gut microbiota, omics techniques, and fecal proteins with a focus on understanding the pathophysiological mechanisms of these pathologies and obtaining possible diagnostic and/or prognostic biomarkers. Finally, we discuss the unmet needs that researchers should tackle to advance in the knowledge of these barely explored pathologies.

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Background: Cow’s Milk Allergy (CMA) is one of the most prevalent food allergies (FA) among infants. Gut microbiota dysbiosis has been related to the development of FA. The primary colonization of the gut microbiota occurs via maternal route. We hypothesized that a longitudinal influence in the composition of the gut microbiota, transmitted from mothers to offspring, could be directly related to CMA development. Methods: 148 faecal samples of 34 CMA and 16 control 0-8 month-old infants and their respective mothers and grandmothers were studied. Gut microbiota was profiled by 16S rRNA gene sequencing using the Illumina MiSeq platform. 16S rRNA sequencing analysis was performed using the DADA2 pipeline. Descriptive statistics of the epidemiological variables of the three generations were analysed. Statistical analyses were performed with R 3.4.0 software. Results : Mothers allergy status and smoking habits of mothers and grandmothers were associated to infant CMA. We found that adult gut microbiota is richer and more diverse than that of infants. Relative abundance of the Prevotellaceae family was significantly different between infant groups, and between hydrolysate-fed and formula-fed infants. Finally, the Bray-Curtis distance between members of the same family was independent of the allergy status. Conclusions: Microbiota from allergic children do not differ from non-allergic at the onset of allergy. Moreover, microbiota inheritance was similar in healthy and allergic infants. Maternal smoking and allergy status were the most significant epidemiological risk factors associated with CMA. Finally, microbiota composition of infants was influenced by diet and allergy status; however, these were confounded variables.