Evaluation of food matrix interactions and in vitro gastrointestinal digestion on the bioefficacy of polyphenols from blueberries (Vaccinium sp.)

Date

2013-05-16

Authors

Correa Betanzo, Julieta

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

University of Guelph

Abstract

Bluberries (Vaccinium sp.) are rich in polyphenols that are responsible for lowering the risk of developing several chronic degenerative diseases. However, the effect of food matrix interactions on the bioaccessibility and bioavailability of polyphenols is not well understood. In this research free and complexed polyphenols found in blueberry extracts were characterized and their antioxidant activity as well as antiproliferative activities against colon cancer cells (HT-29) and normal colon cells (CRL-1790) were evaluated. The blueberry food matrix and different carbohydrate-rich synthetic matrices were characterized and their biological activities assessed alone and in complexed state with polyphenols. The degradation of polyphenols during their transit through the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) was evaluated using an in vitro digestion model. Biological activities of blueberry polyphenols and their parent metabolites produced during colonic fermentation were estimated by in vitro antioxidant assays and cell proliferation analysis using HT-29 and CRL-1790 cell lines. HPLC analysis revealed the presence of 7 phenolic compounds and 13 anthocyanins in all samples. Although the concentration of the polyphenols varied among the samples, free and complexed polyphenols showed significant antioxidant and antiproliferative activities. Polyphenol complexes were analyzed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealing the presence of electron dense complexes ranging from 100 – 200 nm. Pectinase treatment disrupted the structure of the complexes, suggesting the pectin nature of the polyphenol complexes. The antioxidant- and antiproliferative activities of the blueberry food matrix alone was below 10% compared to almost 90% and 70% of free and complexed polyphenols, respectively. Polyphenols and anthocyanins were highly stable during simulated gastric digestion step with approximately 93% and 99% of recovery, respectively. The intestinal digestion process decreased the polyphenol- and anthocyanin- contents by 49% and 15 % respectively. During colonic digestion, the complex polyphenol mixtures were degraded to a limited number of phenolic compounds. Only acetylated anthocyanins were detected in low amounts after the colonic digestion process. After simulated colonic digestion, the isolated catabolites showed lowered antioxidant activity and cell growth inhibition potential. Understanding the interactions that occur among polyphenols and different food matrices may help to produce more stable foods with better bioavailability.

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Keywords

blueberries, food matrix, HT-29, CRL-1790, polyphenols, in vitro digestion, chemostat

Citation