Cereals and legumes co-ingestion under infant digestive conditions: starch digestibility

RODRIGUEZ, MARIANELA; MANSILLA, PABLO; BUSTOS, M.C.; DE PASCUAL-TERESA, SONIA; MONSIERRA, LUISINA

Cork

Congreso; 7th International Conference on Food Digestion; 2022

Background: Corn is one of the main cultivated crops worldwide. Additionally, purple corn has a high content of phenolic compounds, including anthocyanins, which have been related to a high antioxidant activity. During digestion, antioxidants compounds suffer different reactions that might modify their structure, affecting their absorption and bioactivity. The aim of this study was to stablish the bioaccessibility and bioactivity of antioxidants compounds from purple corn by using two corn-varieties of Spanish and Argentinian origin. Methods: The INFOGEST simulated in vitro digestion model was used (Brodkorb et al, 2019). Final digestion samples were used to treat caco-2 cells in the trans-well model (Hubatsch, et al 2007). Total polyphenol content (TPs Folin-Ciocalteu and Fast-blue), HPLC-DAD/MS-MS and antioxidant activity (by FRAP and DPPH) were evaluated before and after digestion. Results: HPLC-DAD/MS-MS analysis of purple corn extracts showed the presence of three main anthocyanins, cyanidin-3-(malonylglucoside), cyanidin-3-glucoside, and cyanidin-3-(3??,6??,dimalonylglucoside). The in vitro digestion process caused a reduction on TPs and in individual anthocyanins. The antioxidant activity was affected by the digestion process. No qualitative differences were found in the polyphenolic composition of the two corn varieties. At the end of digestion, the three main anthocyanins are still present in a lower concentration. Conclusion: Corn anthocyanins are bioaccessible in the INFOGEST model. However, their bioavailability is largely affected and the amounts that cross the intestinal barrier are negligible.