Abstract: The gut microbiota plays a crucial role in human health, and dietary intervention is a key strategy for modulating gut microbial homeostasis. Rich in polyphenols, dietary fiber and other bioactive compounds, blueberry juice exhibits great potential in regulating the structure and function of the gut microbiota. This review systematically summarizes the interaction mechanisms between bioactive components of blueberry juice and the gut microbiota. The core bioactive compounds including anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, phenolic acids, and dietary fibers and their compositional variability are described, and the effects of different processing techniques on the content of these active components are analyzed. Furthermore, the metabolic pathways for the transformation of these bioactive components by the gut microbiota are elucidated, and their regulatory effects on the diversity, composition and structure of the gut microbiota as well as key functional bacteria are clarified. The health benefits mediated by metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids and phenolic acids are discussed. In addition, the effects of intervention dosage and individual differences on the regulatory outcomes of blueberry juice are also analyzed. This review provides a theoretical basis for clarifying the intrinsic relationship among blueberry juice, the gut microbiota, and host health, and also points to future research directions for developing blueberry juice-based functional foods and exploring their applications in precision nutrition.

Key words: blueberry juice; gut microbiota; anthocyanin; short-chain fatty acid; phenolic acid