This work was undertaken to evaluate interactions between plant proteins and selected volatile flavour compounds on flavour delivery and heat-induced gelation properties for canola, pea and wheat proteins. An automated dynamic headspace GC/MS approach was adopted to monitor the change in flavour intensity in aqueous model systems. The extent of flavour binding was a function of protein source, protein isolation method and stereochemistry of the flavour compound. Using Differential Scanning Calorimetry and intrinsic fluorimetry, potential conformational changes due to partial denaturation of proteins were observed. Aldehyde flavours exhibited much higher “unfolding capacity” than ketones, which accounted for their remarkable binding affinities. Two volatile flavour by-products, 2-butyl-2-octenal and 2-pentyl-2-nonenal, were detected from the interactions between salt-extracted canola protein isolates (CPIs) with hexanal and heptanal, respectively, due to aldolisation reactions. Competitive bindings among homologous ketones and between heterologous aldehyde and ketone mixture were observed, while a synergistic effect was noted for aldehyde flavour mixtures. Environmental changes such as heating and addition of non-chaotropic salts increased binding for ketones; however, protein aggregation following continuous heating and denaturation of protein by chaotropic salt and at extreme pH values reduced ketone retention. Apart from molecular interactions, dramatic increases in flavour binding were monitored when physical adsorption of flavours on aggregated proteins was employed. By adding bonding disrupting agents, the molecular forces responsible for the interactions were probed with hydrophobic interactions, hydrogen bond and ionic interactions being prominent for benzaldehyde, 2-octanone and hexyl acetate, whereas covalent interactions were implicated for octanal and dibutyl disulfide. Selectively modifying proteins via chemical (acetylation and succinylation) and enzymatic (Alcalase) approaches significantly altered protein-flavour binding affinities and this was influenced by the type of flavours selected and associated type of binding. In general, addition of flavour compounds diminished protein heat-induced gel forming properties by disrupting protein inter- and intra-molecular hydrophobic interactions. However, gel strength was regained with increasing concentration and chain length of aldehydes possibly due to the additional unfolding effect on proteins due to aldehyde binding. This facilitated the gel formation process, consequently resulting in formation of stronger gels. / February 2016

The functional food industry has expanded yet research into consumer perceptions of functional foods is limited. Among consumers, older adults could benefit from functional foods due to age-related health concerns. This thesis aimed to generate information about the consumption of functional foods among community-dwelling older adults (>60 years old, n=200) using a researcher-administered questionnaire. Prevalence of functional food consumption was 93.0% and yogurt with probiotics (56.0%) was the top product consumed. The primary functional food matrix consumed was yogurt (51.5%) and dietary fibre was the primary functional food bioactive consumed (79.5%). Most participants (86.2%) consume functional foods to improve health and osteoporosis/bone health (67.5%), heart disease (61.0%) and arthritis (55.0%) were the primary health areas identified. Participants wanted more information about functional foods (63.5%) with preferred sources being newspapers/magazines/books (68.5%) and food labels (66.1%). These results inform stakeholders regarding the potential of functional foods to promote improved health among older adults. / Canadian Foundation for Dietetic Research

Bluberries (Vaccinium sp.) are rich in polyphenols that are responsible for lowering the risk of developing several chronic degenerative diseases. However, the effect of food matrix interactions on the bioaccessibility and bioavailability of polyphenols is not well understood. In this research free and complexed polyphenols found in blueberry extracts were characterized and their antioxidant activity as well as antiproliferative activities against colon cancer cells (HT-29) and normal colon cells (CRL-1790) were evaluated. The blueberry food matrix and different carbohydrate-rich synthetic matrices were characterized and their biological activities assessed alone and in complexed state with polyphenols. The degradation of polyphenols during their transit through the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) was evaluated using an in vitro digestion model. Biological activities of blueberry polyphenols and their parent metabolites produced during colonic fermentation were estimated by in vitro antioxidant assays and cell proliferation analysis using HT-29 and CRL-1790 cell lines. HPLC analysis revealed the presence of 7 phenolic compounds and 13 anthocyanins in all samples. Although the concentration of the polyphenols varied among the samples, free and complexed polyphenols showed significant antioxidant and antiproliferative activities. Polyphenol complexes were analyzed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealing the presence of electron dense complexes ranging from 100 – 200 nm. Pectinase treatment disrupted the structure of the complexes, suggesting the pectin nature of the polyphenol complexes. The antioxidant- and antiproliferative activities of the blueberry food matrix alone was below 10% compared to almost 90% and 70% of free and complexed polyphenols, respectively. Polyphenols and anthocyanins were highly stable during simulated gastric digestion step with approximately 93% and 99% of recovery, respectively. The intestinal digestion process decreased the polyphenol- and anthocyanin- contents by 49% and 15 % respectively. During colonic digestion, the complex polyphenol mixtures were degraded to a limited number of phenolic compounds. Only acetylated anthocyanins were detected in low amounts after the colonic digestion process. After simulated colonic digestion, the isolated catabolites showed lowered antioxidant activity and cell growth inhibition potential. Understanding the interactions that occur among polyphenols and different food matrices may help to produce more stable foods with better bioavailability. / The National Council of Science and Technology of Mexico (CONACYT)

Les Escherichia coli entérohémorragiques (EHEC) sont des pathogènes zoonotiques responsables de toxi-infectionsalimentaires pouvant évoluer vers des atteintes potentiellement mortelles chez l’Homme. La survie des EHECet l’expression des gènes de virulence dans l’environnement digestif humain sont des facteurs essentiels dans laphysiopathologie de ces infections mais sont mal connus, essentiellement par manque de modèles d’études adaptés.L’absence de traitement spécifique a conduit à s’intéresser à des moyens préventifs et/ou curatifs alternatifs, commel’utilisation de probiotiques. L’objectif de ce travail de thèse est d’étudier le comportement de souches EHEC dansl’ensemble du tractus digestif et l’influence de souches probiotiques, en utilisant des approches in vitro et in vivocomplémentaires.In vitro, dans le tractus gastro-intestinal supérieur, on observe une mortalité bactérienne dans l’estomac, suivie d’unereprise de croissance dans les parties distales de l’intestin grêle. De plus, la survie des EHEC dépend à la fois de lasouche/sérotype étudié et de la matrice alimentaire dans laquelle les bactéries sont ingérées. En conditions coliqueshumaines simulées, les EHEC sont progressivement éliminés du milieu colique et leurs principaux gènes de virulence(stx1 codant la Shiga-toxine 1 et eae codant l’intimine) sont surexprimés dans les heures suivant l’inoculation dupathogène. L’ajout de levures probiotiques du genre Saccharomyces ne modifie pas la survie du pathogène dansl’environnement colique, que celles-ci soient administrées en traitement « curatif » ou « prophylactique ». Parcontre, l’administration de S. cerevisiae CNCM I-3856 permet (i) de moduler favorablement l’activité fermentairedu microbiote intestinal, en augmentant la production d’acétate et en réduisant celle du butyrate et (ii) de diminuersignificativement l’expression de stx1. Par ailleurs, l’effet du pathogène et des probiotiques sur le microbiote coliqueest individu dépendant, confortant l’hypothèse que des facteurs associés à l’hôte, comme le microbiote, pourraientconditionner l’évolution clinique des infections à EHEC et l’efficacité d’une stratégie probiotique. Enfin, dans unmodèle murin d’anses iléales, l’administration préventive de S. cerevisiae CNCM I-3856 limite significativementl’interaction d’O157:H7 avec les plaques de Peyer et les lésions hémorragiques associées.Ces résultats confirment donc l’intérêt d’une stratégie probiotique dans le contrôle des infections à EHEC. Uneétude plus approfondie du transcriptome du pathogène dans l’environnement digestif humain, en présence ou non deprobiotiques, permettrait de mieux comprendre la physiopathologie des infections à EHEC et les mécanismes associés / The enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) are zoonotic pathogens that cause food-borne infection withwhich leads to life-threatening damage in humans. EHEC survival and expression of virulence genes in the humandigestive track are key factors in the pathogenesis of these infections, but little is known, mainly due to lack ofappropriate study models. The absence of specific treatment has led to an interest in preventive and/or alternativemeasures healing, such as the use of probiotics. The objective of this study is the behavior of EHEC strains in theentire digestive tract and the influence of probiotic strains, using in vitro and in vivo complementary approaches.In vitro, in the upper gastrointestinal tract, a bacterial mortality was observed in the stomach, followed bya bacterial resumption in the distal segment of the small intestine. Moreover, survival depends on both theEHEC strain/serotype studied and the food matrix in which the bacteria are ingested. In simulated humancolon conditions, EHEC was progressively eliminated from the bioreactor and the major virulence genes (stx1encoding Shiga-toxin 1 and eae encoding intimin) are overexpressed in the hours following the inoculation ofpathogen. Probiotic yeasts Saccharomyces genus does not modify the survival of the pathogen in the in vitro colonicenvironment, that they be administered in treatment "curative" or "prophylactic". Still, the administration ofS. cerevisiae CNCM I-3856 allows (i) to favorably modulate fermentation activity of the intestinal microbiota, byincreasing the production of acetate and reducing that of butyrate and (ii) reduce significantly the expression ofstx1. Furthermore, the effect of pathogenic and probiotic on colonic microbiota is donor-dependent, supporting thehypothesis that factors associated with the host, as the microbiota could condition the clinical course of EHEC andefficiency a probiotic strategy. Finally, in a murine model of ileal loops, preventive administration of S. cerevisiaeCNCM I-3856 significantly limits the interaction of O157:H7 with the Peyer’s patches and results hemorrhagic lesions.These results confirms the interest of probiotic strategy in controlling EHEC infections. Further transcriptomestudies are warranted for the pathogen in the human digestive environment, with or without probiotics for the betterunderstanding of the pathophysiology of EHEC and so on the mechanisms involved in the antagonistic effect ofprobiotics.

According to the American Heart Association, cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the U.S., representing about 20-30% of all deaths every year in the U.S. Major risk factors for developing CVD include high blood lipid and LDL-cholesterol levels. A large number of heart attacks and strokes could be prevented by controlling these factors through lifestyle modifications and diet interventions. Epidemiological evidence shows that consumption of dry or common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) has positive effects on reducing blood LDL-cholesterol and lipid levels. These health benefits are mainly attributed to the high content of dietary fiber (DF) of beans, including soluble and insoluble DF (SDF and IDF). Some proposed mechanisms to explain the cholesterol and lipid-lowering effects of DF are related to the physico-chemical properties (e.g. viscosity) of DF, and involve binding to bile salts (BS) in the small intestinal to prevent BS re-absorption which further promote cholesterol catabolism and delay lipid digestion. Nevertheless, the precise mechanisms are not fully understood yet. In addition, cooking and processing operations, and in particular high-hydrostatic pressure (HHP) processing, can modify the composition, structure and functional properties of foods; however, whether HHP affects the ability of beans to interfere with different aspects of lipid digestion remains unknown. The overall goal of this research is to understand how common beans and HHP processing impact the ability of beans to bind BS and influence lipid digestion in vitro. The specific objectives are 1) to evaluate the effect of HHP treatments (and compared it with conventional cooking (HT)) on the thermo-rheological and functional properties of dry beans; 2) to identify the impact of major bean components on the in vitro BS-binding ability of beans, the role played by the bean matrix and how this is affected by HHP processing; 3) to investigate how bean (micro)structure and fiber fractions, as well as HHP processing of dry beans, influence lipid digestion in vitro. Results showed that HT caused complete starch gelatinization and protein denaturation of beans, while HHP treatments induced partial or no starch gelatinization and a lower degree of protein denaturation, which resulted in enhanced protein solubility and emulsifying activity/stability. It was observed that, while HT treatment reduced the capacity of bean flours to retain BS because of severe disruption of the bean cell wall integrity, protein matrices, and starch granules, HHP treatments maintained or enhanced BS retention, possibly by promoting the formation of starch/protein/fiber networks able to entrap BS. Furthermore, by using an in vitro dialysis-based digestion model combined with viscosity measurements and thermal analysis, it was shown that the interaction between bean tissue materials and primary BS was not only related to viscosity but also involved hydrophobic linkages. The contribution of IDF and proteins (other than SDF) to retain BS was also significant. There was a different binding preference of beans to four primary BS with sodium glycochenodeoxycholate, the more hydrophobic BS, showing the largest retention levels while sodium taurocholate being the least effectively retained BS by beans. Diverse sequences of the same processing operations showed distinct impacts on BS-retention by dry beans. By means of an in vitro digestion model simulating conditions in the upper gastrointestinal tract, bean flours delayed the digestion of extrinsic lipids to a higher extent, compared to isolated IDF and SDF. Furthermore, HHP treatment and less severe mechanical disintegration maintained the ability of beans to modulate lipid digestion, which suggests the importance of bean structural integrity in reducing the lipolysis rate and extent by beans. Overall, this research work shows that HHP processing is a promising minimal processing technology to produce bean flours with improved functionality. It also highlights the importance of considering the structure of foods, and not just their nutrient content, when evaluating potential health impacts. This knowledge could be applied to develop a range of bean-based ingredients and formulations with desirable health benefits. This work can be extended to research the influence of beans on the gut microbiota and profile of secondary BS and short-chain fatty acids, which are also closely related to cholesterol and lipid metabolism. / Doctor of Philosophy / According to the American Heart Association, cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the U.S., representing about 20-30% of all deaths every year in the U.S. Around the world, millions of people are struggling to control the risk of CVD. Major risk factors for developing CVD include high blood lipid and LDL-cholesterol levels. A large number of heart attacks and strokes can be prevented by controlling the major risk factors through lifestyle modifications and diet interventions. Epidemiological evidence shows that consumption of dry beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) has positive effects on reducing blood LDL-cholesterol and lipid levels. These health benefits are mainly attributed to the high content of dietary fiber (DF) in beans. DF is carbohydrate polymers that are not hydrolyzed by the endogenous enzymes in humans. However, some of them (water-soluble DF) could increase viscosity and retain the absorption of bile salts (BS) in the small intestinal. The BS retention or the binding of BS could promote more cholesterol convert to BS (thus reduce cholesterol levels) and decrease lipid digestion. Therefore, due to the increased viscosity and BS retention ability of DF, dry beans could help to reduce the blood cholesterol and lipid levels and further help to prevent CVD. Moreover, different cooking and processing method could also affect the composition, microstructure and functional properties of foods. The purpose of this research was to determine how common beans and high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) (compared with hydrothermal (HT)) processing, a non-thermal processing, influence the ability of dry beans to retain bile salts and modulate lipid digestion in vitro. This study showed that severe HT treatment disrupted the bean cell wall integrity severally and reduced the BS retaining the efficiency of dry beans, while HHP treatment, produced minimally processed beans, improved the application properties of dry beans and maintained/enhanced BS-retention by dry beans. It also showed that the whole bean matrix (other than soluble DF) also contributes to retain BS and modulate lipid digestion, indicating the importance of retaining intact food structures. The integrity of bean structures through HHP treatment and less severe mechanical treatment could help to retain the ability of dry beans to reduce lipid digestion. These findings suggest that dry beans, with a high content of dietary fiber and resistant starch, have significant health benefits related to lowering cholesterol and lipid levels. Increasing the consumption of dry beans would definitely help to improve overall health. HHP, as a non-thermal processing technology, showed the potential to produce minimally processed bean products with enhanced health benefits and diverse application properties. This study could be extended through continuing research into the influence of beans on the gut microbiota, which are also closely related to the cholesterol and lipid metabolism regulation.

<div>Shifts in the human diet to more refined foods and ingredients have contributed to the rise in metabolic disease rates associated with long-term consumption of foods causing swift rises in blood glucose response. Foods which result in a more moderate blood glucose curve are considered healthier by increasing satiety and reducing oxidative stress. Sorghum products contain naturally slowly digested starch. The matrix of sorghum porridges contains kafirin protein bodies which cross link around gelatinizing starch molecules, while similar nascent matrices in other cereals aggregate and collapse. The 3-deoxyanthocyanidin pigments unique to sorghum may be accountable for the difference in matrix stability. The density of the starch entrapped in the matrices is thought to partially inhibit α-amylase access to the starch, reducing overall starch digestion and thereby mitigating glucose response. The purpose of this work was to increase our understanding of how phenolic compounds in sorghum interact with endosperm proteins to create a stable matrix, and to explore if the knowledge might be translated to other starchy cereal products. In the first study, phenolic extracts from flours (sorghum, corn masa, white rice) were characterized for phenolic content, antioxidant activity, phenolic components, and their ability to interact with a model protein system (ovalbumin) in order to examine protein polymerization. In the second study, specific phenolic compounds in sorghums (<i>p</i>-coumaric, sinapic, and gallic acids; (+)-catechin; and apigeninidin, a 3-deoxyanthocyanidin found in sorghums) were interacted in the model protein system at different concentrations to observe extent and type of protein polymerization, and promising compounds subjected to fluorescence quenching spectroscopy to examine the nature of the interactions. The final study explored the effects of apigeninidin addition to a yellow corn flour and naturally present anthocyanin (blue corn) on starch digestion and microstructure of porridges by utilizing an <i>in vitro</i> α-amylase assay and confocal microscopy. </div><div>The slow digestion of starch in cooked sorghum products can be attributed to the 3-deoxyanthocyanidin compounds present in the grain participating in sulfhydryl-disulfide interchanges which results in extensive kafirin cross-linking surrounding starch granules. While other phenolic and redox-active components may affect matrix formation and stability, 3-deoxyanthocyanidins appear to have the most direct influence, and their ability to modify food protein matrices appears to have a direct result on starch digestion <i>in vitro</i>.</div>

De nombreux composés bioactifs hydrophobes sont actuellement mis en avant en raison de leurs propriétés nutritionnelles et fonctionnelles. Une attention particulière est, en conséquence, portée à leur incorporation en tant qu'ingrédients dans des aliments fonctionnels. Cependant, la majorité de ces composés bioactifs sont caractérisés par une faible solubilité en milieu aqueux, une dégradation au cours des procédés de transformation ainsi qu'une absorption limitée au niveau du tractus gastro-intestinal. La micelle de caséines, grâce à ses propriétés fonctionnelles uniques, peut être considérée comme un support d’encapsulation naturel pour ces molécules bioactives hydrophobes. En effet, une des originalités de cette suprastructure est sa dynamique dans le lait se caractérisant par des échanges réversibles de protéines et de minéraux entre le sérum et la structure micellaire interne en fonction des conditions physicochimiques, et notamment avec la température. En particulier, un stockage du lait à 4°C permet la dissociation sélective de la caséine β de la phase micellaire vers la phase soluble et un retour à température ambiante permet sa réintégration. L’objectif de cette thèse est de développer une nouvelle stratégie d’encapsulation de molécules bioactives hydrophobes dans les micelles de caséines via cette dynamique de la caséine β. Dans un premier temps, l’optimisation de la dissociation de la caséine β de la micelle de caséines a été réalisée en modifiant la température et le pH, tout en portant une attention particulière au maintien de l’intégrité des micelles déplétées en caséines β. Un procédé de séparation physique de la caséine β solubilisée a été optimisé par microfiltration à l’échelle pilote. Une étude de la concentration micellaire critique de la caséine β a permis de vérifier son état monomérique à l’issue de cette séparation. Une étude de la cinétique d’interaction entre la caséine β monomérique et deux composés bioactifs hydrophobes, la curcumine et la vitamine D3, a ensuite été réalisée par résonance plasmonique de surface et par spectroscopie de fluorescence. La curcumine a été choisie pour la suite de l’étude au vu de sa bonne affinité pour la caséine β. Le complexe caséine β monomérique-curcumine a ensuite été encapsulé dans des micelles de caséines préalablement déplétées en caséines β. Les résultats de ces travaux montrent l’efficacité de cette stratégie d’encapsulation qui peut présenter un intérêt particulier pour la vectorisation de molécules bioactives hydrophobes afin d’assurer leur protection dans des produits laitiers pauvres en matière grasse.De plus, au cours de ce projet, une méthode de caractérisation des propriétés morphologiques et nano-mécaniques des micelles de caséines par microscopie à force atomique en milieu liquide a été développée. Cette méthode représente un outil intéressant de compréhension de la structure micellaire dans son environnement natif et offre la possibilité d’évaluer l’impact de certaines modifications sur les propriétés de la micelle de caséines, comme sa déplétion en caséine β ou sa réticulation. / In the last years, the number of studies highlighting the nutritional and functional properties of several hydrophobic bioactives has markedly increased. Special attention is consequently paid to their addition as ingredients to food. However, most of these hydrophobic compounds display a low aqueous solubility, poor stability during processing and low absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. Casein micelles exhibiting unique set of properties can be considered as a natural nanocarrier for these molecules. Actually, changes in environmental factors namely pH and temperature induce the dissociation of caseins and minerals from the colloidal phase to the soluble phase. Particularly, a selective dissociation of β-casein occurs at low temperatures. This effect is reversed with an increase in temperature, with a transfer of β-casein from the serum to the micelles when equilibrated at room temperature. The aim of this study is to develop a novel encapsulation strategy to incorporate hydrophobic bioactive compounds into casein micelles using the β-casein reversible dissociation. First, the β-casein dissociation from casein micelles was optimized by temperature and pH modifications while preserving the integrity of the β-casein depleted casein micelles. The separation of dissociated β-caseins from casein micelles was carried out by microfiltration at a pilot scale. The β-casein critical micelle concentration was concurrently evaluated to ensure the monomeric state of -casein after separation. Secondly, the binding kinetic between monomeric β-casein and two hydrophobic compounds, curcumin and vitamin D3, was investigated by surface plasmon resonance and fluorescence spectroscopy. Curcumin was then selected thanks to its high affinity to -casein β. The complex monomeric β-casein – curcumin was encapsulated in β-casein depleted casein micelles. The results of this study show the efficiency of this encapsulation strategy of hydrophobic bioactive compounds, which could be used to protect such molecules in low fat dairy products.Besides, during this project, a novel strategy was developed in order to evaluate the casein micelle topography and nanomechanical properties by atomic force microscopy in liquid environment. This method opens a new line of investigation to better understand the casein micelle structure in its native environment but also investigate the impact induced by the modification of physico-chemical conditions on its topography and elastic properties.

L’interès creixent de la població general per la “medicina natural”, juntament amb els efectes beneficiosos que s’han demostrat per al resveratrol, ha incrementat la presència en els mercats d’aliments funcionals o nutracèutics basats en la seva composició. Per a poder fer al•legacions nutricionals i de propietats saludables en aquests tipus de productes és necessari un suport científic que recolzi, amb la màxima evidència, els efectes que es pretenen declarar, tenint en compte els paràmetres relacionats amb la biodisponibilitat i l’efecte de la matriu de l’aliment. La biodisponibilitat del resveratrol és baixa, donat el seu elevat metabolisme, de manera que els seus efectes beneficiosos es troben, actualment, en una certa controvèrsia. Les futures investigacions s’estan enfocant cap a la possible activitat dels metabòlits del resveratrol. Abans, però, es requereix informació més concreta sobre la biodisponibilitat del resveratrol i, sobretot, del seu metabolisme després del consum de quantitats moderades d'aliments que el continguin, per tal de conèixer les concentracions dels diferents metabòlits que es poden assolir en l’organisme. Per a dur a terme aquest tipus d’estudis es requereixen tècniques analítiques d’elevada sensibilitat i selectivitat que permetin una clara identificació del perfil metabòlic del resveratrol en mostres biològiques. L’objectiu principal d’aquesta Tesi Doctoral és conèixer el perfil metabòlic del resveratrol quan és administrat en dosis dietètiques en humans i la influència de la matriu de l’aliment en la seva biodisponibilitat, així com desenvolupar la metodologia adient per cromatografia líquida acoblada a espectrometria de masses (UPLC-MS/MS). Per a assolir aquest objectiu i gràcies a la disponibilitat d’estàndards purs dels metabòlits pròpiament, ja sigui per la seva recent disponibilitat comercial o expressament sintetitzats, s’ha desenvolupat una metodologia òptima per a l’anàlisi del perfil metabòlic del resveratrol, que ha estat validada segons els criteris establerts per la FDA. Amb aquesta metodologia, s’ha definit el perfil metabòlic del resveratrol més complet de tota la literatura actual, constituït per 21 compostos que engloben als metabòlits de fase II del resveratrol i el piceid i els derivats de l’acció microbiana, proposant les estructures químiques d’aquells dels quals no es disposa estàndard. La quantificació d’aquest perfil, excretat 4 hores després de la ingesta d’una beguda funcional a base d’extracte de raïm, ha demostrat diferències interindividuals significatives. El coneixement de la biodisponibilitat i el metabolisme del resveratrol al llarg del temps s’ha dut a terme amb un estudi farmacocinètic, en el qual s’ha demostrat que, després d’un consum moderat de vi negre i d’un nutracèutic a base d’extracte de raïm, el piceid pot ser absorbit ràpidament en la seva forma intacte, però assolint baixes concentracions; mentre que la formació de metabòlits de resveratrol requereix un temps major, que encara s’allarga més per als d’origen microbià. L’excreció més lenta dels sulfats de resveratrol ha aportat més evidència a la possible saturació de les vies de glucuronidació del resveratrol. Pel que fa a l’efecte de la matriu alimentària, s’ha demostrat que l’alcohol no afecta al metabolisme del resveratrol, estudiant-ne el perfil metabòlic excretat. A més a més, l’excreció urinària global del perfil metabòlic del resveratrol no s’ha vist afectada per la matriu que constitueixen uns comprimits a base d’extracte de raïm, com a producte nutracèutic, en comparació amb la del vi negre; tot i que la dissolució del comprimit implica una absorció retardada dels compostos d’aquest, que fa augmentar la quantitat de metabòlits microbians excretats. / The beneficial effects reported for resveratrol have aroused interest in its consumption, and thus a lot of functional foods or nutraceuticals based on their composition have been developed. Before making nutritional and health claims about these products, more information is required on the resveratrol bioavailability and metabolism after moderate doses consumed and with a special regard on the effect of the food matrix. In such studies, high sensitivity analytical techniques are necessary to allow clear identification of the metabolic profile of resveratrol in biological samples. The aim of this thesis is to determine the metabolic profile of resveratrol when administered at dietary doses in humans and the influence of the food matrix on its bioavailability, as well as to develop a suitable methodology by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). With the pure metabolite standards now available, an optimized methodology was developed and validated for analysis of the resveratrol metabolic profile. This method defined the widest profile until now available, consisting of 21 compounds which include resveratrol and piceid phase II metabolites and those derived from microbiota, for whose chemical structures were suggested. The quantification of this profile, excreted 4 hours after ingestion of a grape extract functional beverage, demonstrated significant interindividual differences. The behaviour of resveratrol metabolism after the post-ingestion of natural products was studied in a pharmacokinetic study, which showed that, after a moderate consumption of red wine and a grape extract nutraceutical, piceid can be quickly absorbed in its intact form, but achieving low concentrations. Metabolites’ formation required more time and even though for the microbial ones. The slow excretion of resveratrol sulfates provided more evidence to the possible saturation of the glucuronidation pathway. Regarding the food matrix effect, it was demonstrated that alcohol does not affect resveratrol metabolism. In addition, overall urinary excretion of the resveratrol metabolic profile was not affected by the tablet matrix of the grape extract nutraceutical, compared to red wine. However, dissolution of the tablet delayed absorption of their compounds, which increases the amount of microbial metabolites excreted.