Investigating The Potential Of A Hay-Aged Cheese To Reduce Cholesterol As Mediated By Changes In The Gut Microbiome

Inclusion Criteria: * Participants aged 18 to 65 years old * Regular consumer of cheese * In generally good health but with total cholesterol level between 5.5-7.5 mmol/l and body mass index (BMI) between 18-32 kg/m2 at screening visit * Willing and able to comply with study instructions Exclusion Criteria: * Use of antibiotics in the last 6 months prior to the study. * Use of prebiotics, probiotics, laxatives, anti-spasmodic, anti-diarrhoeals, herb supplements in the last 4 weeks prior to or during the study period. * Any chronic gut disorders/disease such as irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, etc or other conditions that might affect the gut environment e.g. coeliac disease. * High blood pressure, anaemia, high blood lipids (total cholesterol \>7.5mmol/l), or inflammatory conditions * Taking medication for anaemia, high blood pressure, high blood lipids , inflammatory conditions or depression * Anyone diagnosed with vitamin deficiencies, diabetes, heart disease (previous stroke or heart attack) or have a pacemaker, kidney, bowel or liver diseases, cancer or hormone abnormalities. * Pregnant, lactating, breast feeding or planning a pregnancy within the next 6 months * Peri- or postmenopausal women * Lost more than 3kg of body weight in the last 6 months * Food allergies and intolerances * Participants currently involved or will be involved in another clinical or food study in the previous 3 months