Study of the bioavailability of metallic elements from cocoa products

• Grant number: 13/21962-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: February 01, 2014
• End date: July 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Analytical Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Solange Cadore
• Grantee: Rafaella Regina Alves Peixoto
• Supervisor: Vicenta Ángela Devesa i Pérez
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA), Spain
• Associated to the scholarship: 11/21023-3 - Determination of inorganic composition and metallic species bioavailable fraction in cocoa-based food, BP.DD

Abstract

The bioavailability of metallic elements in cocoa products will be studied using in vitro digestion methods and Caco-2 cells. The Caco-2 cell model will be used for the simulation of the human intestinal barrier. In this case, the cells will be cultivated onto polymeric membrane filters (Transwell®) and the estimation of the bioavailability will be done by exposing the cells to the bioaccessible fractions obtained in the in vitro digestion method. This approach will allow us to evaluate the transport and retention of the elements across the monolayer of intestinal epitehial cells. The different factors that can affect the bioavailability of the elements will also be studied, including physical-chemical factors of the human digestive process and matrix components. The elements on the bioaccessible and bioavailable fractions will be quantified by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry or inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. A previous analysis of several cocoa products will be done in order to select a sample with adequate concentrations to be used in the bioavailability studies. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

PEIXOTO, RAFAELLA R. A.; DEVESA, VICENTA; VELEZ, DINORAZ; LUISA CERVERA, M.; CADORE, SOLANGE. Study of the factors influencing the bioaccessibility of 10 elements from chocolate drink powder. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, v. 48, p. 41-47, MAY 2016. (11/21023-3, 13/21962-5)