Holiday Ayo - 

An international research project is currently collecting up to 10,000 human stool samples to be frozen and preserved for future scientific purposes. The project, titled Microbiota Vault, has been underway since 2018.

It is currently in the pilot phase to assess the feasibility of collecting and distributing stool samples and fermented foods from various parts of the world. Researchers aim to gather thousands of samples by the year 2029.

Two countries currently being considered as permanent storage locations for this microbiota repository are Canada and Switzerland. The facility will not only store human feces but also approximately 200 types of fermented foods rich in gut-friendly microbes. Future plans include expanding the collection to include microbes from humans, animals, plants, and the broader environment.

The project’s concept was inspired by the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway, which preserves over 1.3 million plant seed samples as part of a global genetic conservation effort.

Martin Blaser, Director of the Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine at Rutgers University, emphasized the project's significance for future generations. “It is possible that the microbes we preserve today could prevent a major disaster a hundred years from now,” he stated.

Researchers assert that microbial loss has been linked to a rise in chronic diseases such as allergies, autoimmune disorders, and metabolic conditions. They warn that declining microbial diversity threatens not only human health but also the resilience of agricultural systems and the natural environment as a whole.