The　purpose　of　this　study　is　to　produce　Monascus　ruber　fermented　pomelo　sponge　products　(MFPS)　utilizing　low-cost　pomelo　sponge　as　a　solid-state　fermentation　substrate,　and　to　investigate　the　effects　of　MFPS　on　cholesterol　metabolism　and　gut　microbiota　in　mice.　The　study　of　oral　MFPS　treatment　in　high-fat　diet　mice　uncovered　that　a　high　dosage　of　MFPS　effectively　inhibited　the　increase　of　body　weight,　reduced　the　accumulation　of　liver　and　epididymal　fat　and　improved　blood　cholesterol　metabolism　in　mice.　Interestingly,　MFPS　consumption　enhanced　the　liver＇s　antioxidant　capacity,　cleared　free　radicals.　Furthermore,　HE　staining　demonstrated　that　MFPS　effectively　repaired　liver　damage.　UPLC-QTOF/MS　analysis　of　liver　metabolomics　revealed　that　MFPS　intervention　exerts　a　substantial　regulatory　impact　on　metabolic　pathways　encompassing　alanine,　aspartate　and　glutamate　metabolism,　biosynthesis　of　unsaturated　fatty　acids,　steroid　hormone　biosynthesis,　tryptophan　metabolism,　glycerophospholipid　metabolism,　fatty　acid　degradation,　folate　biosynthesis,　etc.　High-throughput　sequencing　of　16S　rRNA　unveiled　that　MFPS　mitigated　the　intestinal　microbiota　imbalance　triggered　by　a　high-fat　diet,　increasing　the　abundance　of　probiotics　in　the　intestine,　including　Lactobacillus　and　Bifidobacterium.　Therefore,　these　findings　demonstrate　that　MFPS　can　improve　abnormal　cholesterol　metabolism　and　balance　intestinal　flora,　offering　valuable　insights　for　developing　natural　and　effective　cholesterol-lowering　products.　©　2023　Elsevier　Ltd