Dietary Interventions in Animal Gastrointestinal Physiology: From Gut Function to High-Quality Animal Products

Dietary interventions are key modulators of animal health and metabolic efficiency, largely through their effects on gastrointestinal physiology and nutrient utilization. Understanding how diet-driven mechanisms - such as modulation of the gut microbiota, digestive stability of nutrients, and enhancement of nutrient bioavailability - shape gastrointestinal function is essential for sustainable livestock production. Plant-derived bioactives are promising tools to influence oxidative balance in the gut, support mucosal and systemic immune responses, and, as a downstream effect, improve the nutritional and sensory quality of animal-derived foods.

This Research Topic aims to characterize how dietary compounds and feeding strategies affect gastrointestinal functionality, including digestion, absorption, intestinal morphology, barrier integrity, mucosal immunity, and microbiota composition. Additionally, the collection aim to promote evidence-based nutritional strategies that enhance animal welfare while supporting the production of high-quality animal-derived foods

This Topic welcomes original research, reviews, and meta-analyses on (but not limited to):

1. Diet–Gut Functional Integration
Dietary modulation of gastrointestinal physiology and gut-mediated metabolic efficiency in food-producing animals, with emphasis on mechanistic and integrative approaches.

2. Digestion, Absorption, and Bioavailability
Mechanisms governing nutrient digestion, absorption, and gastrointestinal bioavailability of plant-derived bioactives and their implications for nutrient partitioning and product quality.

3. Diet–Microbiota–Function Axis
Interactions between dietary components, gut microbiota composition, and microbial metabolites influencing gastrointestinal function and downstream effects on animal health

4. Intestinal Structure and Barrier Defense
Effects of dietary interventions on intestinal morphology, barrier integrity, and mucosal immune responses in food-producing animals.

5. Oxidative and Inflammatory Status in the Gut
Gut-centered oxidative and inflammatory status and its modulation by antioxidant or other bioactive dietary compounds, and the implications for gut function and systemic health.

6. Gut-Mediated Resilience and Product Quality
Gastrointestinal mechanisms linking dietary interventions to animal resilience, reduced antimicrobial use, and the nutritional and sensory quality of animal-derived foods.

7. Innovative, Sustainability-Oriented Feeding for Enhanced Quality of Animal-Derived Products
Targeted dietary bioactives promote animal welfare but also modulate nutrient composition and flavor profiles, elevating the quality of meat, milk, and eggs.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Conceptual Analysis
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Conceptual Analysis
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: animal nutrition, gastrointestinal physiology, gut microbiota, nutrient absorption, bioactive compounds, gastrointestinal bioavailability, food quality, sustainable feed resources, animal health., diet, gut, digestion, absorption, bioavailability, intestinal structure, barrier defense, oxidative status, inflammatory status, antioxidant, bioactive, gut function, resilience, animal welfare

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.