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Organic acid bioavailability from banana and sweet potato using an in vitro digestion and Caco-2 cell model

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Abstract

Introduction

Organic acids from plant food have been shown to play an important role in the prevention of chronic diseases (osteoporosis, obesity), inherent to western diets, but little is known about their bioavailability in the small intestine, information that needs to be determined in order to quantify likely effects on human health.

Methods

An in vitro model of human digestion was carried out, comprising simulated oral, gastric and pancreatic digestion followed by an in vitro model of small intestine absorption using Caco-2 cell monolayers. As models for fruits and vegetables, freeze-dried or raw samples of banana and sweet potato were used.

Results

Organic acids have been found to be slowly released from the food matrix during simulated digestion of both banana and sweet potato, either raw or after freeze-drying. In the Caco-2 cell assay, malic and oxalic acids were absorbed more than citric acid. Oxalic and citric acids, but not malic acid, were transported across the cell monolayer. The release and uptake of major organic acids from model fruits and vegetables using established in vitro simulation processes was not quantitative and varied with acid type.

Conclusion

Partial uptake is consistent with a dual nutritional role for organic acids as alkalinising agents (fraction which is taken up) and as modulators of large intestinal function (fraction which is not taken up in the small intestine). Studies of in vivo digestive release and uptake are needed in order to identify the contribution of organic acids to the nutritional value of fruits and vegetables.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Lesleigh Force and Graham Kerven for their advice and helpful technical support. This work was supported by a University of Queensland Postdoctoral Fellowship awarded to HS and an AusAid Scholarship awarded to IE. The authors acknowledge that there is no conflict of interest. The contribution of the authors to the study is as follows: M.J.G. was the chief investigator and secured the funding, H.S.J. was the project leader and writer of the manuscript, F.V. contributed to the set up of the in vitro digestion and Caco-2 cell model for micronutrients and micronutrient analysis and I.E. provided topic expertise on the in vitro digestion and Caco-2 cell model.

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Author notes

  1. Indah Epriliati

    Present address: Widya Mandala Catholic University, Surabaya, Indonesia

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Nutrition and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland, Hartley Teakle Building, room S426, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia

    Houda Sabboh-Jourdan, Indah Epriliati & Michael J. Gidley

  2. ENSBANA, Université de Bourgogne, 21000, Dijon, France

    Fanny Valla

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  1. Houda Sabboh-Jourdan
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Correspondence to Houda Sabboh-Jourdan.

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Sabboh-Jourdan, H., Valla, F., Epriliati, I. et al. Organic acid bioavailability from banana and sweet potato using an in vitro digestion and Caco-2 cell model. Eur J Nutr 50, 31–40 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-010-0112-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-010-0112-0

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