Intestinal Inflammatory and Metabolic Responses to a High Fat Meal and Plant Polyphenol Blend

Inclusion criteria

• Healthy subjects who, in the opinion of the investigator, are free of any medical conditions that might affect study measures.
• Males and females
• Age between 18 - 35 years inclusive
• Subjects with BMI of 22 - 29.9 kg/m2
• Subjects who agree to discontinue the use of pre- and probiotic and/or polyphenol supplements from 4 weeks prior to the first and through the last study visit
• Subjects who agree to discontinue foods containing anthocyanins (such as blueberries, blackberries, bilberries, cherries, grapes, grape juice, pomegranate, raspberries, huckleberries, strawberries, and red wine) for at least 1 week prior to each visit.
• Subjects with no known allergies to study product or components (bilberries, black currants, rice)
• Subjects willing to completely consume high-fat meal and assigned study product
• Subjects willing to consume a similar, low fat/low flavonoid \\dinner the evening before each high-fat meal visit
• Subjects have given voluntary, written, informed consent to participate in the study

Exclusion criteria

• Age < 18 or > 35 years
• BMI < 22 or > 29.9 kg/m2
• Vegetarian or other dietary restrictions that would not allow the subject to consume the highfat meal
• Regularly participates in endurance exercise activities (e.g. marathon running, triathlons)
• Uncontrolled hypertension defined as diastolic blood pressure ≥ 95 mmHg or systolic blood pressure ≥ 160 mmHg
• Screening serum triglycerides > 150 mg/dL
• Screening fasting blood glucose < 50 mg/dL or > 100 mg/dL
• Current smoker or use of tobacco products within the past year
• Individuals who binge drink (alcohol intake ≥ 5 alcoholic drinks for males or ≥4 alcoholic drinks for females on the same occasion (i.e., at the same time or within a couple of hours of each other)
• Substance abuse or dependence within the prior 60 days.
• Daily use of anti-inflammatory medications including NSAIDs and aspirin in the last 4 weeks
• Use of laxative medications or other products that promote colon cleansing in the last 4 weeks
• History of restricted diets or use of herbal supplements or medications that interfere with insulin metabolism in the last 4 weeks
• History of stroke, hepatic, kidney, thyroid disease or cancer
• History of immune related disorders or Raynaud's disease
• Current clinically significant depression, anxiety or other psychiatric condition
• History of malabsorption or GI tract disorders
• History of GI surgeries (i.e. lapband, gastric bypass, etc.)
• Diarrhea or oral antibiotic intake within the last 4 weeks
• Weight change (> 5%) in the last 8 weeks
• Subject with known history of eating disorders such as bulimia, anorexia, or muscle dysmorphia
• Allergy or sensitivity to the study product or components of the high-fat meal
• Any other condition which in the Investigator's opinion may adversely affect the subject's ability to complete the study or its measures or which may pose significant risk to the subject