Connecting plant, animal, and human health using untargeted metabolomics

Abstract

Emerging evidence suggests that the metabolites present in biochemically diverse herbages cascade across trophic levels, influencing both the meat quality of grazing cattle and human metabolomic profiles. This study compared the metabolomic profiles of Angus cattle finished on three distinct pasture systems: a standard perennial ryegrass and white clover sward (PRG), a complex multispecies mixture (CMS; n = 22 species), and adjacent monoculture strips (AMS) comprising ryegrass, chicory, plantain, lucerne, and red clover in equal areas. The resulting tenderloins were processed into (250 g) beef patties and assessed in a double-blind, randomized, cross-over clinical trial involving 23 human participants (ANZCTR registration: ACTRN12624001081505). The AMS herbage contained higher concentrations of gamma-tocopherol (vitamin E) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), which were reflected in elevated levels of these compounds in the beef (P < 0.05) and, subsequently, in human plasma 3-5 h postprandial (P < 0.05). These results are the first to demonstrate that human metabolomic responses are directly influenced by the forage composition of grazing cattle, highlighting a novel linkage between pastoral diversity, animal diet, and consumer health outcomes.