CONSUMPTION OF PLANT FOODS THAT CONTAIN FLAVONOIDS REDUCES THE RISK OF IBD. GUT BACTERIA CONTRIBUTE TO THE ANTI-INFLAMMATORY PROPERTIES OF FLAVONOIDS BY CONVERTING THEM INTO ACTIVE METABOLITES, AND FLAVONOID GUT BACTERIAL-METABOLISM DEPENDS ON THE GUT BACTERIAL COMPOSITION, FLAVONOID TYPE, AND ASSOCIATED FOOD MATRIX. HOWEVER, FOOD MATRIX/DIET CONSISTS OF A WIDE VARIETY OF FLAVONOIDS, AND THERE IS CONSIDERABLE VARIATION IN THE GUT BACTERIAL PROFILES BETWEEN IBD PATIENTS AND HEALTHY SUBJECTS. THUS, IT IS DIFFICULT TO IDENTIFY WITH CERTAINTY THE SPECIFIC CLASS OF COMPOUNDS IN THE FOOD MATRIX THAT IS ANTI-INFLAMMATORY AND THE EXTENT TO WHICH INFLAMMATION-INDUCED CHANGES IN MICROBIOME ALTER THEIR HEALTH BENEFITS. WE PROPOSE TO DETERMINE THE ANTI-COLITIS ACTIVITY OF 3-DEOXYFLAVONOIDS (3-DF - PHLOBAPHENES) AND/OR 3-HYDROXYFLAVONOIDS (3-HF - ANTHOCYANINS) USING MAIZE, A STAPLE CROP, NEAR ISOGENIC LINES (NILS) THAT DIFFER IN A SINGLE CLASS OF FLAVONOIDS AS WELL AS GERM-FREE MICE COLONIZED WITH HEALTHY VS. COLITIS-ASSOCIATED MICROBIOTA.THE PROPOSED PROJECT WILL DOCUMENT THE BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF 3-DF AND/OR 3-HF IN MAIZE ON THE GUT INFLAMMATION AND WILL POTENTIALLY PROVIDE INFORMATION THAT WILL IMPROVE THE CONSUMERS' HEALTH THROUGH FLAVONOID RICH CROPS.