Chapter 28
In Vitro Digestion for Control and Monitoring of Food Effects
in Relation to Micellarization Index of Carotenoids
Antonio Pe ´ rez-Ga ´ lvez and Javier Fontecha
Abstract
The multifactorial system that influences the availability of macronutrients, micronutrients, and phytoconstituents with relevant bioactivities has been assessed by in vitro digestion protocols, which have become an
effective technique to support the health-through-food strategy. The measurement of the significance of
food structure, food matrix, synergies and competitive effects, processing features, and even some physiological issues has created valuable scientific and technological information, and the development of
harmonized protocols. Now it is possible to make further advances by applying this knowledge to obtain
data regarding the potential availability of target compound(s) in the food source within a standard meal
context. This protocol describes the measurement of the micellarization index of carotenoids from dietary
rich sources with test meals accounting the effects of high vs. low fat and normo-, hypo-, and hypercaloric
content.
Key words In vitro digestion protocol, Micellarization index, Carotenoids, Food effects,
Bioaccessibility
1 Introduction
Bioaccessibility, defined as the amount of a compound that is
released from its matrix in the gastrointestinal tract, becoming
available for absorption, then absorbed by the enterocytes and
finally turned into a bioactive form, is the ultimate concept applied
to food science and nutrition to enhance the reliability in that the
nutritional benefits are achieved. It is a critical issue in the design of
food formulations with bioactive ingredients, because it considers
the effects of the events taking place during digestion that are
significant influencing factors for limiting or enhancing the
in vitro bioaccessibility of target compound(s), and with the aim
of predicting the outcome in vivo. Hence, straightforward procedures, that is, in vitro digestion protocols have been designed using
a decision-making approach related with the kind of compound
(s) which bioaccessibility is determined, the question that needs to
Manuel Rodrı ´guez-Concepcio ´ n and Ralf Welsch (eds.), Plant and Food Carotenoids: Methods and Protocols,
Methods in Molecular Biology, vol. 2083, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-9952-1_28,
© Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2020
375
In Vitro Digestion for Control and Monitoring of Food Effects
in Relation to Micellarization Index of Carotenoids
Antonio Pe ´ rez-Ga ´ lvez and Javier Fontecha
Abstract
The multifactorial system that influences the availability of macronutrients, micronutrients, and phytoconstituents with relevant bioactivities has been assessed by in vitro digestion protocols, which have become an
effective technique to support the health-through-food strategy. The measurement of the significance of
food structure, food matrix, synergies and competitive effects, processing features, and even some physiological issues has created valuable scientific and technological information, and the development of
harmonized protocols. Now it is possible to make further advances by applying this knowledge to obtain
data regarding the potential availability of target compound(s) in the food source within a standard meal
context. This protocol describes the measurement of the micellarization index of carotenoids from dietary
rich sources with test meals accounting the effects of high vs. low fat and normo-, hypo-, and hypercaloric
content.
Key words In vitro digestion protocol, Micellarization index, Carotenoids, Food effects,
Bioaccessibility
1 Introduction
Bioaccessibility, defined as the amount of a compound that is
released from its matrix in the gastrointestinal tract, becoming
available for absorption, then absorbed by the enterocytes and
finally turned into a bioactive form, is the ultimate concept applied
to food science and nutrition to enhance the reliability in that the
nutritional benefits are achieved. It is a critical issue in the design of
food formulations with bioactive ingredients, because it considers
the effects of the events taking place during digestion that are
significant influencing factors for limiting or enhancing the
in vitro bioaccessibility of target compound(s), and with the aim
of predicting the outcome in vivo. Hence, straightforward procedures, that is, in vitro digestion protocols have been designed using
a decision-making approach related with the kind of compound
(s) which bioaccessibility is determined, the question that needs to
Manuel Rodrı ´guez-Concepcio ´ n and Ralf Welsch (eds.), Plant and Food Carotenoids: Methods and Protocols,
Methods in Molecular Biology, vol. 2083, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-9952-1_28,
© Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2020
375