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Plant Cell Walls: Impact on Nutrient Bioaccessibility and Digestibility
Claire Holland1, Peter Ryden2, Cathrina H Edwards2
1School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Division, University of Reading, Earley Gate, Reading RG6 6AR, UK.
Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
|February 22, 2020
Summary
Plant cell walls influence nutrient availability in foods. Their complex structure impacts how nutrients are released and digested in the human gut, affecting overall bioaccessibility.
Area of Science:
- Plant biology
- Food science
- Nutritional science
Background:
- Plant cell walls are crucial structural elements in plant-based foods.
- They comprise complex polysaccharide networks (cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin).
- Cell wall composition and structure vary by plant tissue, influencing food properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current knowledge on plant cell walls.
- To explain how cell walls affect nutrient bioaccessibility and digestibility.
- To describe methods for characterizing food matrices and cell walls.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of scientific publications.
- Analysis of plant cell wall composition and structure.
- Discussion of analytical techniques for food matrix characterization.
Main Results:
- Plant cell wall structure significantly impacts nutrient release and digestion.
- Polysaccharide composition and organization determine cell wall physicochemical properties.
- These properties govern behavior in the gastrointestinal tract.
Conclusions:
- Understanding plant cell walls is key to optimizing nutrient bioaccessibility from plant foods.
- Cell wall characteristics directly modulate nutrient digestibility and release.
- Characterization methods are essential for assessing food matrix properties.
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