Summary
Published in Microorganisms (2019), this paper by Blum and colleagues reviews the scientific basis for a soil–gut microbiome connection, exploring whether microorganisms present in soil can survive transit into and colonisation of the human gastrointestinal tract. The authors likely assess evidence from soil science, microbial ecology, and human microbiome research to consider dietary and environmental exposure routes. The paper contributes to a growing interdisciplinary literature linking soil health with human health outcomes.
UK applicability
While the paper is international in scope, its findings are highly relevant to UK policy discussions around soil stewardship, agroecological farming, and public health, particularly in the context of debates about biodiversity loss in agricultural soils and its potential downstream effects on human gut health.
Key measures
Microbial diversity indices; presence of soil-origin taxa in gut microbiome; proposed transmission pathways
Outcomes reported
The paper examines the pathways by which soil microorganisms may enter and colonise the human gut, assessing evidence for whether soil biodiversity meaningfully contributes to gut microbiome composition. It likely reviews the role of diet, direct soil contact, and food production systems as transmission routes.
Topic tags
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