A better understanding of how dietary fibres impact the bioavailability of fat-soluble nutrients and nutraceuticals is required. The purpose of this research was to determine the influence of guar gum (GG) on the transfer processes impacting beta-carotene (BC) bioaccessibility (transfer to the aqueous phase) from an oil-in-water emulsion using an in vitro model simulating gastric and duodenal digestion. Canola oil emulsions (1.5 % soy protein isolate, 10 % canola oil and 0.1 % all trans BC, D4,3~160 nm) were prepared by microfluidization (40 MPa, 4 passes) and exposed, in the presence of 0.0, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, or 4.0 % GG, to conditions representative of the stomach and duodenum in the fed state. Lipolysis, BC bioaccessibility, digestate apparent viscosities, droplet size, and bile acid (BA) binding were studied. With increasing concentration of GG, digestate viscosity was increased and lipolysis and bioaccessibility were decreased (P<0.05). Peak lipolysis was 56.2% vs. 21.6% for emulsions containing 0.0 % vs. 4.0 % GG, respectively. BC bioaccessibility was also lower in the presence of GG (i.e. 29.7 vs. 6.98 % for 0.0 vs. 4.0 % GG respectively). Thus, the presence of GG impacted digestive processes central to BC absorption. The impact of GG may be related to increased digestate viscosity entrapping mixed micelles or BAs and decreasing diffusion leading to decreased lipolysis and BC bioaccessibility. / NSERC, CFI

Elevated levels of lipids and LDL-cholesterol in the blood are significant risk factors associated with developing cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). A potential strategy to combat these risk factors is decreasing lipid absorption by modulating the digestibility of lipids in the human intestinal tract. Since bile salts (BS) play key roles during this process, lipid digestion could be controlled ultimately by limiting the access of BS to the lipid surface. Cellulose ethers (CEs), surface-active dietary fibers and common food additives, might be promising ingredients to control lipid digestion either by creating surface layers around lipid droplets that hinder adsorption of BS, or by sequestering BS in the aqueous phase. However, the precise mechanisms behind these interactions remain unclear. Surface analysis techniques were used to better understand the mechanisms by which CEs with diverse molecular structure and charge (commercial and novel hydroxypropyl-cellulose (HPC)) interact with BS at the solid surface and in the aqueous phase. The potential of CE-stabilized emulsions to influence lipid digestion was also investigated in vitro. Both CEs show potential in modulating lipid digestion; the potential of the commercial HPC to interfere with lipid digestion may be more related to its ability to sequester BS in solution and form mixed HPC-BS complexes that are not easily removed from the surface, whereas the novel HPC seems more effective at creating strong surface layers that resist displacement by BS. These findings can be exploited in developing strategies to design novel food matrices with improved functional properties to optimize lipid digestion and absorption. / MSLFS / Diseases of the heart and circulation are the number one cause of death in the United States (US) and it is predicted that at least 45% of the US population (131.2 million) will have some form of these diseases by 2035. Consumption of reduced-fat foods is one strategy to combat CVDs, but fats contribute to various sensory and nutritional properties of foods. Another strategy is to develop foods that incorporate dietary fibers which could interfere with the digestion of fat. However, the mechanism behind the ability of dietary fiber to interfere with fat digestion remains unclear and depends on the fiber type. One of our objectives was to look at the main interactions between a type of dietary fiber, cellulose derivatives (which are ingredients used in the food industry), and two types of bile salts, (BSs) which are important intestinal components present during fat digestion, at a surface representing a fat droplet and in the aqueous phase. Another objective was to look at the digestibility of cellulose derivative systems, compared to another food ingredient (Tween 20). We found that the different BSs played different roles at the surface and interacted differently with the cellulose derivatives. We also found that both cellulose derivatives showed potential in interfering with lipid digestion. This allows a better understanding of how cellulose derivative systems are affected by digestion and could allow us to design new foods with natural products from plants to improve wellness in the US.

La lipase pancréatique apparentée de type 2 du cobaye (GPLRP2) hydrolyse une grande variété de substrats lipidiques. Elle montre cependant une sélectivité selon l’organisation supramoléculaire du substrat et la présence de surfactants comme les sels biliaires (NaTDC). Nous avons utilisé la spectroscopie infrarouge (FTIR) pour étudier les interactions entres les phospholipides (DPPC), les surfactants et la GPLRP2 dans des conditions expérimentales proches de celles du tractus digestif. Pour étudier l’étape d’adsorption indépendamment de l’hydrolyse, un variant inactif de GPLRP2 (S152G) a été produit. Diverses dispersions aqueuses de phospholipides ont été préparées : des vésicules multilamellaires (MLV), unilamellaires (LUV) et des micelles mixtes DPPC-surfactant. GPLRP2 hydrolyse le DPPC présent dans des micelles mixtes DPPC-NaTDC mais n’a aucune activité sur le DPPC en phase lamellaire ou présent dans des micelles DPPC-Triton X100. L’analyse par FTIR de l’interaction de GPLRP2 S152G avec le système DPPC-NaTDC montre des changements importants dans le désordre conformationnel et la mobilité des chaînes acyles, la déshydratation de l’interface, l’orientation des têtes polaires et leurs liaisons hydrogène. Aucun effet n’est observé avec les MLV, les LUV ou le système DPPC-Triton X100. Il y a ainsi une reconnaissance spécifique du DPPC dans les micelles mixtes avec les sels biliaires, en accord avec l’activité enzymatique de GPLRP2. Les changements du spectre IR pendant l’hydrolyse du DPPC par la GPLRP2 ont été suivis. Certaines caractéristiques attribuées à la formation de produits de lipolyse peuvent être utilisées pour une étude quantitative de la lipolyse par FTIR. / Guinea pig pancreatic lipase-related protein type 2 (GPLRP2) hydrolyzes a large set of lipid substrates, but displays however some selectivity depending on the supramolecular structure of substrate and the presence of surfactants like bile salts (NaTDC). We used Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to study the interactions between phospholipids (DPPC), surfactants and GPLRP2 under conditions close to those of the GI tract. To study the adsorption step independently from hydrolysis, a GPLRP2 inactive variant (S152G) was produced. Various phospholipid dispersions were prepared: multilamellar (MLV) and large unilamellar vesicles (LUV) and mixed micelles with surfactants. GPLRP2 was found to hydrolyze DPPC present in mixed DPPC-NaTDC micelles but was inactive on DPPC vesicles and DPPC-Triton X100 micelles. FTIR analysis of GPLRP2 S152G interaction with the DPPC-NaTDC system showed a decrease in the conformational disorder and mobility of the acyl chains, a dehydratation of the interface, and changes in the orientation and H-bonding of DPPC polar head-groups. These effects were not observed with MLV, LUV and DPPC-Triton X100 micelles, thus indicating a specific recognition of DPPC in mixed phospholipid-bile salt micelles, in agreement with phospholipase activity measurements. Changes in the IR spectra during DPPC hydrolysis by GPLRP2 were monitored. Specific spectral features were associated to the production of lipolysis products and could be used for quantifying phospholipid lipolysis by FTIR.