Impact of the Pulsed Electric Field Treatment on Bioactive Food Compounds: Bioaccessibility and Bioavailability

Abstract

Pulsed Electric Field (PEF) treatment is a non-thermal food processing technology that mostly applied to low viscosity high acidity food samples. Due to its non-thermal nature, it is preferred over thermal processing technologies since it has a superiority to preserve physical, chemical, biochemical and sensory properties of food with extended shelf life. Studies focused on preservation of bioactive and health-related compounds usually involve effect of PEF on water soluble vitamins, total antioxidant capacity, total phenolic compounds, phenolic substances, organic acids, and anthocyanins and are limited on how bioaccessibility and bioavailability of these compounds are changed by PEF processing. Thus, effects of PEF processing on bioaccessibility and bioavailability of food components with both in vivo and in vitro studies emphasizing on future needs are emphasized in this review.

Impact of Innovative Technologies on the Content of Vitamin C and Its Bioavailability from Processed Fruit and Vegetable Products

“…In the review [ 141 ], which analyzed the impact of PEF on the bioavailability and bioaccessibility of bioactive compounds, the authors confirmed that the developing trend of using non-thermal methods in the food industry has a positive effect on the bioavailability of health-related ingredients, including vitamin C. At the same time, they emphasized the need for conducting further research focusing on the non-thermal processing of different fruits and vegetables with their impact on human health in addition to their bioavailability [ 147 ].…”

The Potential of Sweetpotato as a Functional Food in Sub-Saharan Africa and Its Implications for Health: A Review

“…The potential health benefits of bioactive compounds are not only dependent on the amounts consumed, but also on their bioavailability; i.e., biological availability [ 132 ]. Bioavailability refers to the proportion of a specific ingested nutrient or component in food that becomes available for an organism to utilize in its normal physiological functions [ 133 , 134 ]. Even though a compound has strong antioxidative or other biological activities in vitro, it would have little biological activity in vivo if little or none of the compound reaches the target tissues [ 132 ].…”

“…Bioavailability involves two other terms: bioaccessibility and bioactivity [ 134 , 135 ]. Bioaccessibility is the fraction of an ingested compound that is released from its food matrix in the GIT and thus becomes available for intestinal absorption [ 135 ].…”

“…Bioactive compounds are generally absorbed in the small intestine by transport mechanisms such as passive diffusion, carrier-mediated transport, and receptor-mediated transport [ 136 ]. Bioaccessibility therefore relates to the digestive transformation of food that can be absorbed by the organism [ 134 ]. Bioactivity refers to a specific effect obtained after exposure to a metabolite.…”