Absorption and antioxidant capacity of bioactive compounds carried in W/O HIPEs by in vitro digestion methods

• Grant number: 23/11898-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: January 31, 2024
• End date: January 30, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Rosiane Lopes da Cunha
• Grantee: Larissa Ribas Fonseca
• Supervisor: Catarina Gonçalves
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia de Alimentos (FEA). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL), Portugal
• Associated to the scholarship: 20/15929-9 - Development of a microchannel simulating the small intestine for evaluation of in vitro digestion of emulsions, BP.DR

Abstract

Emulsions containing a high fraction of dispersed aqueous phase (> 74% w/w), referred to as water-in-oil (W/O) HIPEs, are of significant interest due to their potential use in low-calorie products. Owing to the substantial water content, this system is also attractive for the encapsulation of hydrophilic active compounds, such as certain antioxidants. In vitro digestion of these emulsions allows the assessment of the release of these compounds, as well as the understanding of how the emulsion's composition impacts the absorption of such compounds. Various in vitro digestion models have been researched and implemented, requiring the utilization of robust and physiologically relevant models to achieve an evaluation that closely resembles in vivo systems. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate A/O HIPEs as a delivery system for antioxidant compounds, evaluating their digestibility and the bioaccessibility of the incorporated compound in the continuous and dispersed phases. For the in vitro digestion analysis, miniaturized prototypes will be employed, along with platforms similar to microchambers composed of different cell lineages that are relevant for evaluating the absorption of the antioxidant compounds. Consequently, this work will contribute to the development of functional colloidal systems, primarily aimed to apply in the food industry as fat substitutes. Additionally, it aims to validate new techniques for assessing intestinal digestibility and permeability, with the goal of achieving a more advanced understanding of these strategies in highly viscous systems. (AU)