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Annika Krona
Senior Scientist
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Analysis of bioavailability
Experimental models used to investigate how much of the nutrients in a food are available for absorption in the body are cost-effective alternatives to studies with humans or animals. The models can be used to compare different raw materials or foods processed in different ways. RISE offers analysis using Infogest 2.0.
Food product development and innovation often aim to create nutritious products with a well-balanced composition that meets the body’s needs. At the same time, the nutrient content does not necessarily reflect the proportion of nutrients that are released during digestion and are therefore available for absorption by the body (“bioaccessibility”). Sometimes nutrients may be trapped in hard-to-break-down cells or other food matrices, making them inaccessible to digestive enzymes. Absorption can also be hindered by chemical bonds between nutrients and other molecules (antinutrients).
The most reliable way to determine nutrient absorption is through clinical studies with humans. In some cases, animal models are also used. However, studies involving humans and animals are costly, time-consuming, and require ethical considerations. A more cost-effective alternative is to use laboratory models (in vitro) that experimentally mimic the breakdown of food in the gastrointestinal tract.
Infogest 2.0 - a validated in vitro-model
RISE uses the in vitro method Infogest 2.0, which has been developed and standardized through collaboration among a large number of laboratories around the world. The method is well established in research and has been validated against studies in humans. After digestion, the proportion of the nutrient of interest present in the soluble phase is analyzed, indicating the fraction that would be available for absorption in the body.
Using Infogest 2.0, the bioaccessibility of nutrients can be estimated and compared, for example between different raw materials or before and after processing.
Our offer
Together, we design an approach tailored to your specific research question.
For example, we can offer:
- Quantification of the proportion of a nutrient in a food—such as proteins or minerals—that is available for absorption in the body (bioaccessible).
- Analysis of the breakdown of microstructure during digestion and how different food matrices influence this process.
- Analysis of antinutrients, for example phytic acid, and a theoretical estimation of their effect on mineral absorption.
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