FLAVANOLS ARE THE MOST COMPOUNDS IN COCOA THAT ARE THOUGHT TO HAVE HEALTH BENEFITS. COCOA APPEARS TO HELP PREVENT AGAINST TYPE-2 DIABETES. HOWEVER, MANY OF THE BENEFICIAL COMPOUNDS FROM COCOA ARE NOT WELL-ABSORBED IN THE INTESTINES AND THEREFORE VERY LITTLE GETS TO THE PANCREAS AND MUSCLES WHERE INSULIN IS SECRETED AND UTILIZED, RESPECTIVELY. THE BACTERIA IN THE INTESTINES BREAK DOWN FLAVANOLS TO SMALLER COMPOUNDS ("METABOLITES) THAT REACH THE PANCREAS ETC. AT MUCH GREATER LEVELS THAN FLAVANOLS. THESE METABOLITES MAY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MANY OF THE BENEFITS ASSOCIATED WITH COCOA INTAKE. THE OVERALL OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROPOSAL IS TO DETERMINE THE ROLE OF THE GUT BACTERIA AND ASSOCIATED BACTERIAL METABOLITES MADE FROM COCOA COMPOUNDS, IN FACILITATING THE PROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF COCOA AGAINST TYPE-2 DIABETES. AN IMPROVED UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPACT OF HOW COCOA AFFECTS THE GUT BACTERIAL COMMUNITY, AND HOW BACTERIAL METABOLITES ACT IN TISSUES SUCH AS THE PANCREAS, , HAS THE POTENTIAL TO GREATLY ADVANCE OUR CAPABILITY TO USE FLAVANOL-RICH FOODS TO TARGET DISEASES SUCH AS TYPE-2 DIABETES DESPITE BEING POORLY ABSORBED INTO THE BLOODSTREAM.