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Physiologically Relevant Simulation of Carbohydrate Digestion: From Glycemic Index Estimation to Intestinal Cellular
Jinfeng Meng1,2,3, Ying Sun1,2,3, Peng Wu4
1Nutrition & Health Research Institute, COFCO Corporation, Beijing 102209, China.
Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
|November 27, 2025
Summary
Dynamic in vitro models better simulate carbohydrate digestion than static ones. This improved glycemic index prediction and revealed more significant cellular responses in the gut.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology and Nutrition
- Biotechnology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Simulating human digestion in vitro is challenging.
- Existing static models lack physiological relevance.
- Understanding carbohydrate digestion impacts health and nutrition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate cereal digestion using a Dynamic In vitro Human Stomach (DIVHS) system.
- To compare dynamic vs. static digestion models.
- To assess intestinal cellular responses to digested carbohydrates.
Main Methods:
- Digestion of rice, millet, and corn in dynamic (DIVHS) and static systems.
- Analysis of chyme characteristics and enzyme activity.
- Exposure of Caco-2 cells to digested products and transcriptional profiling.
Main Results:
- The dynamic system produced smaller fragments, increased chyme-enzyme contact area, and higher intragastric pressure.
- Dynamic digestion showed gradual amylase activity decline and improved glycemic index prediction.
- Dynamic digestion induced stronger Caco-2 cell transcriptional responses, affecting glucose transport and metabolism.
Conclusions:
- Dynamic digestion models offer superior physiological relevance compared to static models.
- The DIVHS system enhances in vitro glycemic index prediction.
- Dynamic digestion models provide deeper insights into carbohydrate-mediated cellular responses.
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