08 Apr 2019 --- The Quadram Institute Bioscience (QIB) has launched its first human clinical trial on the effects of phytic acid – found naturally in seeds, nuts and cereals – on gut bacteria. In this study, QIB researchers want to find out how phytic acid affects the microbiome, the population of trillions of microbes that inhabit the gut. A component of phytic acid – phytin – may play a role in achieving a better microbial balance in the gut.