The role of food structure in gastric emptying rate, absorption and metabolism

Abstract

The high levels of non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus is linked to obesity and poor diet. This continuing emphasis on health in relation to food is proving a powerful driver for the development of cheap but palatable and more functional foods. However, the efficacy of such foods is often hard to prove in humans. Thus, a suite of tools has been developed including in silico and in vitro simulations and animal models. Although animal models offer physiologically relevant platforms for research, their use for experimentation is problematic for consumers. Thus, in vitro methods such as the Infogest protocols have been developed to give digestion endpoints or even an indication of the kinetics of digestion. These protocols have been validated for a range of food systems but they still miss the final absorption step. This review discusses the use of such in vitro models and what further steps need to be included to make the bioaccessibility determination more relevant to bioavailability and human health.