Evaluation of different cooking and storage processes on nutrients and non-nutrients effects by means of intestine-on-chip and pre-clinical models

In plant-based foods, cell wall is crucial for nutrient bioaccessibility because of it is composed by cellulose microfibrils integrated within a gel-type matrix typically comprising pectin, hemicellulose, and small amounts of glycoproteins, phenolic acids, minerals and lignin. The rupture of the cell wall is an important requisite for digestion. Moreover, the cell wall matrix and individual cell wall polysaccharides in plants behave in a similar way during digestion. The cell walls characterized by a high permeability or more prone to physical disruption release nutrients easily, rendering them more bioaccessible. Thus, the nutrient accessibility to digestion within the human gastro-intestinal tract varies in relation to the plant species and the plant organ used as food. Animal-based nutrients have a higher bioavailability than plant-based foods, and they are less likely to cause problems with antinutrients.

The experimental plan will be structured with the following objectives:

• Set up of an organ-on-chip method to adequately mimic the human intestinal barrier for testing the intestinal transport and absorption of nutrient and non-nutrient food components and their metabolic products. 
• Test of the impact of different cooking methods (see T4.1.2) on nutrients and non-nutrients components with potential beneficial effects on intestinal barrier function and absorption by the use of INFOGEST standard method and the intestine on-chip platform. 
• Test of the samples obtained by different cooking or storage processes on human cell lines and/or ex-vivo isolated organs to evaluate the potential improvement achieved in healthy properties on cardio-metabolic system (e.g., cell viability, ROS and cytokines levels, vascular dysfunction, etc). Selected samples will be tested on appropriate in vivo animal models of cardio-metabolic diseases.

• Set-up and production of an integrated INFOGEST/intestine-on-chip protocol and isolated organ immersion systems to be used as a versatile and reliable platform to evaluate nutrient and non-nutrient effect of selected foods.
• The evidence of an improvement in healthy properties (especially at cardiometabolic level, which is the most affected by healthy/unhealthy nutrition) achieved in samples obtained by healthier and sustainable cooking and storage processes.