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A first step towards a consensus static in vitro model for simulating full-term infant digestion
O Ménard1, C Bourlieu1, S C De Oliveira1
1STLO, UMR 1253, INRA, Agrocampus Ouest, Rennes, France.
Insights
A new in vitro model simulates infant digestion, offering greater physiological relevance than existing methods. This tool aids scientists and manufacturers in studying infant formula digestion and structural evolution.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Food Science
- Biotechnology
Background:
- In vitro models are crucial for studying food digestion, but few accurately simulate infant physiology.
- Existing infant digestion models lack sufficient physiological relevance for accurate research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a physiologically relevant in vitro static gastrointestinal model for 28-day-old infants.
- To compare infant formula digestion kinetics and structural changes using the new infant model versus an adult model.
Main Methods:
- Extensive literature review of in vivo infant digestive conditions.
- Development of a static in vitro gastrointestinal model tailored for infant physiology.
- Application of the model to a commercial infant formula and comparison with adult digestion protocols.
Main Results:
- The infant digestion model demonstrated different proteolysis and lipolysis kinetics compared to the adult model.
- Key physiological differences, including lower enzyme/bile salt concentrations and higher gastric pH, influenced digestion outcomes.
- Structural evolution of the infant formula during digestion was also analyzed.
Conclusions:
- The developed in vitro static model provides a physiologically relevant simulation of infant digestion.
- This model is valuable for scientists, food manufacturers, and pharmaceutical companies studying infant nutrition and product development.
Abstract:
In vitro alternatives to clinical trials are used for studying human food digestion. For simulating infant digestion, only a few models, lacking physiological relevance, are available. Thanks to an extensive literature review of the in vivo infant digestive conditions, a gastrointestinal static in vitro model was developed for infants born at term and aged 28days. The model was applied to the digestion of a commercial infant formula. Kinetics of digestion, as well as the structural evolution, were compared with those obtained while submitting the same formula to the adult international consensus protocol of in vitro static digestion. The kinetics of proteolysis and lipolysis differed according to the physiological stage resulting mainly from the reduced level of enzymes and bile salts, as well as the higher gastric pH in the infant model. This in vitro static model of infant digestion is of interest for scientists, food or pharmaceutical manufacturers.
