Effect of different processing conditions on release of ingredients in solutions simulating gastric fluid and saliva

• Lyophilized samples absorbed greater amount of gastric solution.
• The release of sugar and salt increased with immersion time in gastric fluid and saliva.
• Air dried samples show lower release of salt and sugar in gastric fluid than freeze dried.
• Simple way for predicting the availability of certain ingredients in the human body

The fundamental understanding of the behavior of various foods in environments that simulate the human organism is of crucial importance. The study of the release of various components in solutions simulating the human gastric fluid and saliva helps in understanding their availability in the human body. In the present study, disintegration of salt and sugar particulates contained in processed agricultural products was examined. Potatoes and bananas were osmotically dehydrated in salt and sucrose solutions, respectively, and then dried using two drying methods, air drying and freeze drying. The dried products were soaked in simulated saliva and gastric fluid at 37 °C. During immersion, salt release in saliva and gastric fluid was determined using three methods; electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, for measuring the resistance of the solution, titration with silver nitrate, for measuring the amount of salt in the solution and conductivity measurements, for measuring the conductivity of the solutions. Sugar release was determined by measuring degrees brix of the solutions at regular intervals. One Brix corresponds to 1 g of sugars/100 g of solution. The results indicated that different process conditions caused different impact on release kinetics of salt and sugar particulates in saliva and gastric fluid, influencing their taste perception and the bioavailability in the human body.

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