A high-fat diet like the modern one is linked, according to a new study, to an increased risk of intestinal infections and toxin poisoning from food.

In fact, it seems that those who eat more fat have a greater risk of being exposed to salmonella, listeria and other infections that affect the gut.

The explanation for this phenomenon, the University of Cork University researchers explain , is that fats increase the vulnerability of intestinal cells, and negatively affect the immune system.

Researchers, by subjecting mice to a diet rich in fat like the typical Western one, have in fact noticed an increase in the number of goblet muciparous cells. 
All within a few weeks.
These cells line the intestinal epithelial wall (and beyond), where they produce mucus.

If these cells increase, intestinal mucus also increases, and this changes the composition of the microbiota.

Typical intestinal infections with endotoxins and other pathogenic bacteria specialize in their activity against this type of cells. Therefore all the intestinal flora is more subject to this kind of infections.

Furthermore, a high-fat diet exponentially increases the number of firmicutes .
These are bacteria that absorb more glucose than others, and which are linked to a greater risk of obesity.