In vitro digestibility and Caco-2 cell bioavailability of sea lettuce (Ulva fenestrata) proteins extracted using pH-shift processing
Journal article, 2021

Seaweed is a promising sustainable source of vegan protein as its farming does not require arable land, pesticides/insecticides, nor freshwater supply. However, to be explored as a novel protein source the content and nutritional quality of protein in seaweed need to be improved. We assessed the influence of pH-shift processing on protein degree of hydrolysis (%DH), protein/peptide size distribution, accessibility, and cell bioavailability of Ulva fenestrata proteins after in vitro gastrointestinal digestion. pH-shift processing of Ulva, which concentrated its proteins 3.5-times, significantly improved the %DH from 27.7±2.6% to 35.7±2.1% and the amino acid accessibility from 56.9±4.1% to 72.7±0.6%. Due to the higher amino acid accessibility, the amount of most amino acids transported across the cell monolayers was higher in the protein extracts. Regarding bioavailability, both Ulva and protein extracts were as bioavailable as casein. The protein/peptide molecular size distribution after digestion did not disclose a clear association with bioavailability.

Seaweed

Phenolic content

Protein isolation

Protein size distribution

Simulated gastrointestinal digestion

Caco-2 cells

Author

João Pedro Trigo

Chalmers, Biology and Biological Engineering, Food and Nutrition Science

Niklas Engström

Chalmers, Biology and Biological Engineering, Food and Nutrition Science

Sophie Steinhagen

University of Gothenburg

Louise Juul

Aarhus University

Hanna Harrysson

Chalmers, Biology and Biological Engineering, Food and Nutrition Science

Gunilla B. Toth

University of Gothenburg

Henrik Pavia

University of Gothenburg

Nathalie Scheers

Chalmers, Biology and Biological Engineering, Food and Nutrition Science

Ingrid Undeland

Chalmers, Biology and Biological Engineering, Food and Nutrition Science

Food Chemistry

0308-8146 (ISSN) 1873-7072 (eISSN)

Vol. 356 129683

Seaweed as a vehicle for nutrients in a circular food chain - innovative steps to accomplish a protein shift (CirkAlg)

Formas (2018-01839), 2018-12-01 -- 2021-11-30.

Seaweed production systems with high value applications (Sweaweed)

Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research (SSF) (RBP14-0045), 2015-01-01 -- 2019-12-31.

Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research (SSF) (RBP14-0045), 2021-01-01 -- 2021-12-31.

Subject Categories

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Biophysics

Medical Biotechnology (with a focus on Cell Biology (including Stem Cell Biology), Molecular Biology, Microbiology, Biochemistry or Biopharmacy)

Areas of Advance

Health Engineering

DOI

10.1016/j.foodchem.2021.129683

PubMed

33845254

More information

Latest update

4/28/2021