Human bioavailability of flavanols and phenolic acids from cocoa-nut creams enriched with free or microencapsulated cocoa polyphenols

• Published in: British journal of nutrition 2013-05, Vol.109 (10), p.1832-1843
• Main Authors: Vitaglione, Paola, Barone Lumaga, Roberta, Ferracane, Rosalia, Sellitto, Sereno, Morelló, José Ramón, Reguant Miranda, Jordi, Shimoni, Eyal, Fogliano, Vincenzo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Bioavailability; Biological and medical sciences; Biological Availability; Cacao - chemistry; Catechin - blood; Cocoa; Cross-Over Studies; Drug Compounding; Feces - chemistry; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; Flavonoids - pharmacokinetics; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Human and Clinical Nutrition; Humans; Intestinal Absorption; Liquid chromatography; Male; Nutrition; Nuts - chemistry; Phenols; Phenols - pharmacokinetics; Phenols - urine; Plant Extracts - pharmacokinetics; Polyphenols; Polyphenols - pharmacology; Single-Blind Method; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0007-1145; 1475-2662
• DOI: 10.1017/S0007114512003881

Human bioavailability of cocoa flavanols and phenolic acids from a cocoa-nut cream (CC) and from CC enriched with a 1·5 % (w/w) cocoa polyphenol extract in free form (FPC) or encapsulated with a gastric-resistant high-amylose maize starch (EPC), was studied. In a randomised cross-over protocol, with 1-week wash-out in between, twelve healthy volunteers had three portions/d of each cream, providing approximately 190 μmol/d of total flavanols and 12 μmol/d of total phenolic acids with CC and 385 and 28 μmol/d with both FPC and EPC, respectively. Blood, urine and faecal samples were analysed by HPLC/MS/MS. Serum (epi)catechin was absent at baseline and after CC consumption, while 22·1 (sem 2·62) and 1·59 (sem 0·22) nmol (P