The digestive fate of beef versus plant-based burgers from bolus to stool.

Ultra-processed, plant-based burgers (PB) and traditional comminuted-beef burgers (BB) share similar organoleptic characteristics, yet a knowledge gap exists in understanding how consumption of these divergent physical structures alters the lipemic response and gut microbiota. PB, comprised of highly refined ingredients, is formulated with no intact whole food structure, while BB entraps lipids throughout the myofibrillar protein network. PB presented significantly higher free fatty acid (FFA) bioaccessibility (28.2 ± 4.80 %) compared to BB (8.73 ± 0.52 %), as obtained from their FFA release profiles over digestion time after characterizing them with a modified logistic model (SLM), using the simulated TIM Gastro-Intestinal Model (TIM-1). Additionally, the rate of lipolysis, k, obtained from the SLM for PB (90% CI [0.0175, 0.0277] min-1) was higher than for BB (90% CI [0.0113, 0.0171] min-1). Using the Simulated Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem (SHIME®), the Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio (F/B ratio) was significantly higher for PB than BB; and linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) showed Clostridium and Citrobacter were more highly represented in the microbial community for the PB feed, whereas BB feed differentially enriched Megasphaera, Bacteroides, Alistipes, and Blautia at the genus level. Additionally, short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production was altered (p < 0.05) site-specifically in each colon vessel, which could be attributed to the available substrates and changes in microbial composition. Total SCFAs were significantly higher for PB in the ascending colon (AC) and descending colon (DC) but higher for BB only in the transverse colon (TC). This research illustrates the crucial role of meat analog physical structure in modulating nutritional aspects beyond food composition alone.

Entrapment of cyanidin-3-O-glucoside in ß-conglycinin: From interaction to bioaccessibility and antioxidant activity under thermal treatment.

The thermal-induced interaction between ß-conglycinin (7S) and cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (C3G) on the bioaccessibility and antioxidant capacity of C3G was investigated. High ratio of 7S to C3G (1:100) led to a more ordered secondary structure of 7S. Thermal treatment promoted the formation of 7S-C3G complexes via hydrophobic and hydrogen bonds but did not induce the formation of 7S-C3G covalent products. Thermal treatment at 65 °C and 121 °C enhanced the binding affinity of 7S-C3G complexes by 46.19 % and 1203 % compared with 25 °C. The 7S-C3G interaction decreased C3G bioaccessibility by 4.37 %, 8.74 %, and 46.37 % at 25 °C, 65 °C, and 121 °C. Diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ABTS antioxidant capacity assay indicated an antagonistic effect between 7S and C3G. The increased binding affinity of C3G to 7S limited the bioaccessibility of C3G and promoted the antagonism of antioxidant capacity between 7S and C3G. 7S addition was detrimental to the antioxidant capacity and bioaccessibility of C3G in vitro after thermal processing.

The effects of ß-lactoglobulin on cyanidin-3-O-glucoside antioxidant activity and bioaccessibility after heat treatment.

The impact of heat treatment at different temperatures on the interaction of ß-lactoglobulin (ß-Lg) and anthocyanin-3-O-glucoside (C3G) was studied. Heat treatment and the addition of C3G changed the secondary structure of ß-Lg with decreasing ß-sheets and increasing random coils. Interactions between C3G and ß-Lg were mainly via hydrogen bonds and van der Waals forces at 25 °C. The elevated temperature promoted hydrophobic interactions between C3G and ß-Lg due to an increase in the hydrophobic groups and amino groups on the surface of ß-Lg molecules. The addition of ß-Lg to the C3G eliminated heat-induced thermal degradation of C3G. The ß-Lg-C3G interactions accompanied with increased particle size and constant zeta potential could increase the antioxidant capacity of C3G approximately by 4% to 10% and protect the colour of C3G from degradation under heat treatment. The C3G bioaccessibility with ß-Lg addition increased by 26.08%, 33.45%, 83.09%, 72.27%, and 354.62% compared with C-25, C-60, C-85, C-100, and C-121, respectively. The protective effect of the non-covalent interactions on C3G at high temperatures (85 °C to 121 °C) was significantly stronger than at 25 °C and 60 °C. The application of ß-Lg in foodstuffs could enhance the antioxidant activity and bioaccessibility of C3G.

Enhancing the prebiotic effect of cellulose biopolymer in the gut by physical structuring via particle size manipulation.

Cellulose is generally recognised as dietary fibre with no limit of permissible quantity in food, and its consumption may modulate digesta content and impact positively on the gastrointestinal physiology and gut microflora. However, cellulose in its native form possessed inherent undesirable physical properties, making it unattractive for food applications. Here, we postulate that by changing cellulose size to nanometric scale, its prebiotic effect would be altered and fermented differently in contrast with micro size cellulose by the gut microbiome and promote the yield of metabolites such as short chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Using faecal matter from three healthy human donors as microbial source, in vitro fermentation of variable size fractions of cellulose from the same were fermented under anaerobic conditions, and SCFAs as well Bifidobacterium selectively isolated and analysed. The increase in production of acetate (194%), butyrate (224%) and propionate (211%) after 24 h of fermentation was significantly promoted by the size reduction and revealed size-dependent relationship as exemplified R2 values >0.83. Consequently, gavaging rats with nanometric size cellulose (125 nm) significantly (p < 0.05) increased these SCFAs yields as well Bifidobacterium counts in contrast with both control and the micro scale size cellulose. Therefore, engineered nanocellulose might have beneficial physiological impact on the gut with improved prebiotic effect.

Study on starch-protein interactions and their effects on physicochemical and digestible properties of the blends.

The aim of this study was to characterize the influence of starch-protein interactions on physicochemical properties and starch digestibility in corn starch-whey protein isolate (WPI) blends during cooking. The results studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic viscoelasticity revealed that the swelling process of starch granule was restricted by protein. While recrystallization after cold storage was accelerated by protein addition. The short-range structure in Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) favored by protein was in negative correlation to the rapidly digestible starch content. Studies on rheological properties showed that the interaction force was mainly through hydrogen bonds. Additionally, confocal laser scanning microscopy analysis indicated that whey protein formed a surrounding or encapsulation of starch granules and acted as a physical barrier toward starch digestibility following cooking.

The resilience of nanocrystalline cellulose viscosity to simulated digestive processes and its influence on glucose diffusion.

Intake of dietary fibre may modulate digesta viscosity and suppress the rise of postprandial plasma glucose by attenuating glucose diffusion in the lumen of the gastrointestinal tract. In this study, nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC), extracted by sulfuric acid was morphologically characterised by atomic force microscopy. To investigate the influence of digestive processes on NCC viscosity, NCC-protein-starch systems, and NCC suspensions were subjected to two-step static in vitro digestions using Infodigest protocol. Changes in viscosity and subsequent release and diffusion of glucose were monitored. The results demonstrated that the crystalline rod-like NCC particles were sensitive to dilution and constituents in the simulated digestive fluids, and could modulate viscosity of the digesta. Consequently, glucose release and diffusion rates were significantly (p < 0.05) reduced in NCC-food system compared with control. NCC may be used as a dietary fibre in food systems to modulate viscosity and delay the digestion and diffusion of starch and glucose respectively.

Investigation of mechanisms involved in postprandial glycemia and insulinemia attenuation with dietary fibre consumption.

This work examines the mechanisms involved in the attenuation of postprandial glycemic and insulinemic responses associated with soluble dietary fibre (SDF) consumption. The effect of SDF, including yellow mustard mucilage, soluble flaxseed gum and fenugreek gum on in vitro amylolysis and maltose transport was studied. Furthermore, a human clinical trial was conducted to investigate the effect of SDF consumption on postprandial glycemic and insulinemic responses and gastric emptying, as estimated based on the absorption of paracetamol. Participants (n = 15) at risk for type II diabetes consumed maltose syrup- and starch-based pudding treatments supplemented with each SDF, each at a concentration to match three times the apparent viscosity (18.54 mPa s at 60 s-1) equivalent to the European Food Safety Authority (2011) glycemia control health claim for cereal ß-glucan, measured under simulated small intestinal conditions. The presence of each SDF delayed in vitro amylolysis to a similar extent, but had no effect on maltose transport. Generally, all SDF-containing treatments attenuated blood glucose and plasma insulin peak concentrations and plasma paracetamol 1 h incremental area under the curve values to a similar extent, relative to the controls, despite differences in the amounts at which each SDF was used (from 5.9 to 15.5 g). The postprandial attenuations were related to the ability of each SDF to modify digesta viscosity, perhaps through the delay of gastric emptying, as a delay of amylolysis and sugar transport under simulated upper intestinal conditions did not seem to have a substantial effect.

Interaction of mealtime ad libitum beverage and food intake with meal advancement in healthy young men and women.

The objective of this study was to describe the interaction of beverage and food intake with meal advancement in healthy adults. In a randomized controlled study, 29 men and women consumed to satiation, over 20 min, a pizza meal with one of the five beverages including water, 1% milk, orange juice, regular cola and diet cola. Mealtime food and fluid intake were measured, within each of three 7-min phases of the meal. A progressive decline occurred from phase 1 to 3 in fluid intake and food intake, averaging 59 mL and 268 kcal (P < 0.0001) respectively; however, the relative intake of fluid to food (mL/kcal) increased (P < 0.0001). Beverage type was not a factor. All beverages resulted in similar fluid volume intake compared to water. However, caloric beverages led to higher mealtime total energy intake compared to water (P < 0.001) and diet cola (P < 0.0001). Baseline thirst correlated positively with both fluid (r = 0.28; P < 0.001) and food (r = 0.16; P < 0.05) intakes at the meal, whereas baseline appetite associated positively only with mealtime food intake (r = 0.23; P<0.01). In conclusion, mealtime fluid and food intakes interact, unaffected by beverage characteristics, to increase the ratio of fluid to food intake with meal progression.