Assessment of Bioaccessibility: A Vital Aspect for Determining the Efficacy of Superfoods

Abstract

Bioaccessibility is a vital aspect when qualifying food products to be superfoods. It could be defined as the amount of a food constituent which is present in the gut, as a consequence of its release from the solid food matrix. This chapter highlights the evaluation of the bioaccessibility of three studies using an in vitro model of digestion, involving potential superfoods which are as follows: (1) Five Sri Lankan endemic fruits (2) ten spices which are commonly used in culinary preparations in Sri Lanka as well as throughout the world, and (3) three Kombucha ‘tea fungus’ fermented beverages obtained through different microbial cultures. In all three studies, the antioxidant and starch hydrolase activities of the food products were evaluated, given the therapeutic importance of these characteristics. In the first study, it was observed that the antioxidant and activities had decreased, although the starch hydrolase inhibitory activities had been sustained. The remaining two studies demonstrated that both these functional properties had statistically significantly increased (P < 0.05), or sustained. Overall, the studies emphasise the need for evaluating the bioaccessibility of functional properties of potential superfoods before they can be properly advocated for consumption to the general public.