Abstract:

Protein fermentation mainly occurs in the distal colon, resulting in the production of potentially toxic metabolites
such as ammonia, amines, phenols and sulfides. In addition, some important bowel diseases such as colorectal cancer (CRC)
and ulcerative colitis (UC) appear most often in the distal colon, which are related to the high protein fermentation at these
areas. Epidemiological studies revealed that diets rich in meat are associated with the prevalence of CRC, because the intake
of meat not only increases thve fermentation of proteins, but also enhances the intake of fat, hormone and heterocyclic
amines, which may also play an important role in the development of CRC. However, the relationship between gut health
and protein fermentation has not been thoroughly investigated. In this review, the existing evidence regarding the potential
toxicity of protein fermentation from in vitro animal and human studies is summarized.

Key words: colorectal cancer (CRC), genetic toxicity, prebiotics, probiotics, protein fermentation