The health effects
of (poly)phenols (PPs) depend upon their bioavailability
that, in general, is very low and shows a high interindividual variability.
The low bioavailability of PPs is mainly attributed to their low absorption
in the upper gastrointestinal tract as a result of their low water
solubility, their presence in foods as polymers or in glycosylated
forms, and their tight bond to food matrices. Although many studies
have investigated how technological and biotechnological processes
affect the phenolic composition of fruits and vegetables, limited
information exists regarding their effects on PP bioavailability in
humans. In the present review, the effect of food processing (mechanical,
thermal, and non-thermal treatments), oral-delivery nanoformulations,
enzymatic hydrolysis, fermentation, co-administration with probiotics,
and generation of postbiotics in PP bioavailability have been overviewed,
focusing in the evidence provided in humans.