Bioavailability of corn gluten meal hydrolysates and their effects on the immune system

Abstract

The bioavailability of food is central to human nutrition, health and wellbeing. Here, we tested the bioavailability of hydrolysed corn gluten meal using a protein efficiency ratio method, and then analysed differences in bodyweight, weight of organs, routine blood tests and histological sections. The results indicate that the average protein intake of the hydrolysed corn gluten meal (HCGM) group was higher than that of the crude corn gluten meal (CCGM) group, and was associated with an increase in average bodyweight. The corrected protein efficiency ratios (PERs) of the HCGM and CCGM groups were 0.374 and 0.217, respectively; the corrected PER of the HCGM group was 1.72 times higher than that of the CCGM group. These results show that hydrolysis increased the bioavailability of corn gluten meal. Furthermore, there was a significant difference in organ weights (salivary gland P < 0.01; thymus gland P < 0.05; spleen P < 0.01) between the HCGM and CCGM groups. Finally, no inflammatory cell infiltrates nor cell necrosis could be found in any of the histological sections. We speculate that hydrolysed protein preparations can improve immunity.