Sex-Based Differences in the In Vitro Digestibility of MCT Emulsions Stabilized by Various Emulsifiers
Consumer sex influences phenotypic differences in digestive functions that may underlie variations in food disintegration. This study used an in vitro digestion model to test the hypothesis that emulsions follow distinct digestive pathways in men and women. Model emulsions were prepared using medium...
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Foods |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/1/131 |
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| author | Mijal Perez Carmit Shani Levi Uri Lesmes |
| author_facet | Mijal Perez Carmit Shani Levi Uri Lesmes |
| author_sort | Mijal Perez |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Consumer sex influences phenotypic differences in digestive functions that may underlie variations in food disintegration. This study used an in vitro digestion model to test the hypothesis that emulsions follow distinct digestive pathways in men and women. Model emulsions were prepared using medium-chain triglycerides stabilized by beta-lactoglobulin, alpha-lactalbumin, or lactoferrin, and by three non-protein emulsifiers: Tween 80, lecithin, and sucrose esters. All emulsions were produced by high-pressure homogenization (0.57 MPa, 5 passes) and then subjected to in vitro digestion under simulated conditions of the male or female gastrointestine. Digesta samples were analyzed via confocal microscopy and laser-based particle sizing, revealing that protein-stabilized emulsions were responsive to physiological differences between males and females, whereas emulsions stabilized by non-protein emulsifiers remained mostly unaffected by sex-based differences. Absolute differential analyses of emulsion droplet size-distribution curves showed that changes in breakdown trajectories for emulsions were pronouncedly noticeable in gastric effluents. Further, SDS-PAGE analysis of digesta showed that breakdown patterns of protein-stabilized emulsions are consistent with prior evidence found for healthy adults; however, results under female gut conditions indicated variations in protein clotting that may alter bioaccessible levels of bioactive peptides. Thus, this study underscores the importance of considering consumer biological sex in food design, especially regarding emulsion-based products for targeted digestive responses. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-f3af7d8187f8434a816acb87a75fc0ad |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2304-8158 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Foods |
| spelling | doaj-art-f3af7d8187f8434a816acb87a75fc0ad2025-01-10T13:17:53ZengMDPI AGFoods2304-81582025-01-0114113110.3390/foods14010131Sex-Based Differences in the In Vitro Digestibility of MCT Emulsions Stabilized by Various EmulsifiersMijal Perez0Carmit Shani Levi1Uri Lesmes2Laboratory of Chemistry of Foods and Bioactives, Department of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion–Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 320001, IsraelLaboratory of Chemistry of Foods and Bioactives, Department of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion–Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 320001, IsraelLaboratory of Chemistry of Foods and Bioactives, Department of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion–Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 320001, IsraelConsumer sex influences phenotypic differences in digestive functions that may underlie variations in food disintegration. This study used an in vitro digestion model to test the hypothesis that emulsions follow distinct digestive pathways in men and women. Model emulsions were prepared using medium-chain triglycerides stabilized by beta-lactoglobulin, alpha-lactalbumin, or lactoferrin, and by three non-protein emulsifiers: Tween 80, lecithin, and sucrose esters. All emulsions were produced by high-pressure homogenization (0.57 MPa, 5 passes) and then subjected to in vitro digestion under simulated conditions of the male or female gastrointestine. Digesta samples were analyzed via confocal microscopy and laser-based particle sizing, revealing that protein-stabilized emulsions were responsive to physiological differences between males and females, whereas emulsions stabilized by non-protein emulsifiers remained mostly unaffected by sex-based differences. Absolute differential analyses of emulsion droplet size-distribution curves showed that changes in breakdown trajectories for emulsions were pronouncedly noticeable in gastric effluents. Further, SDS-PAGE analysis of digesta showed that breakdown patterns of protein-stabilized emulsions are consistent with prior evidence found for healthy adults; however, results under female gut conditions indicated variations in protein clotting that may alter bioaccessible levels of bioactive peptides. Thus, this study underscores the importance of considering consumer biological sex in food design, especially regarding emulsion-based products for targeted digestive responses.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/1/131emulsionssex differencesin vitro digestionmedium-chain triglyceridesprotein and non-protein emulsifier |
| spellingShingle | Mijal Perez Carmit Shani Levi Uri Lesmes Sex-Based Differences in the In Vitro Digestibility of MCT Emulsions Stabilized by Various Emulsifiers Foods emulsions sex differences in vitro digestion medium-chain triglycerides protein and non-protein emulsifier |
| title | Sex-Based Differences in the In Vitro Digestibility of MCT Emulsions Stabilized by Various Emulsifiers |
| title_full | Sex-Based Differences in the In Vitro Digestibility of MCT Emulsions Stabilized by Various Emulsifiers |
| title_fullStr | Sex-Based Differences in the In Vitro Digestibility of MCT Emulsions Stabilized by Various Emulsifiers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sex-Based Differences in the In Vitro Digestibility of MCT Emulsions Stabilized by Various Emulsifiers |
| title_short | Sex-Based Differences in the In Vitro Digestibility of MCT Emulsions Stabilized by Various Emulsifiers |
| title_sort | sex based differences in the in vitro digestibility of mct emulsions stabilized by various emulsifiers |
| topic | emulsions sex differences in vitro digestion medium-chain triglycerides protein and non-protein emulsifier |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/1/131 |
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