The impact of red cabbage fermentation on bioavailability of anthocyanins and antioxidant capacity of human plasma

• Published in: Food chemistry 2016-01, Vol.190, p.730-740
• Main Authors: Wiczkowski, Wieslaw, Szawara-Nowak, Dorota, Romaszko, Jerzy
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anthocyanins - blood; Anthocyanins - chemistry; Anthocyanins - pharmacokinetics; Antioxidants - chemistry; Antioxidants - pharmacokinetics; Bioavailability; Biological Availability; Brassica - chemistry; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid - methods; Cyanidin metabolites; Fermentation; HPLC–MS/MS; Humans; Plasma antioxidant capacity; Red cabbage anthocyanins; Tandem Mass Spectrometry - methods
• ISSN: 0308-8146; 1873-7072
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2015.06.021

•Anthocyanin bioavailability after fresh and fermented red cabbage intake was compared.•Ten new red cabbage anthocyanin metabolites in plasma and urine were identified.•Among cyanidin metabolites identified, methylated forms were predominant.•Fermentation process affects bioavailability of red cabbage anthocyanins.•Plasma antioxidant capacity are higher after fresh red cabbage intake than fermented red cabbage. The effect of red cabbage fermentation on anthocyanin bioavailability and plasma antioxidant capacity in humans was studied. In a randomized crossover study, 13 volunteers consumed fresh and fermented red cabbage. Blood and urine samples were collected before and after consumption. Analyses of anthocyanins by HPLC–MS/MS and plasma antioxidant capacity by photochemiluminescence assay were conducted. Red cabbage products contained 20 different nonacylated and acylated anthocyanins with the main structure of cyanidin triglucosides. The anthocyanins ingested were present in physiological fluids in form of 18 native anthocyanins and 12 metabolites (methylated, glucuronided, sulfated). Among cyanidin metabolites identified, methylated forms were predominant. Bioavailability of anthocyanin from fresh red cabbage was over 10% higher than from fermented red cabbage. Upon fresh cabbage consumption, volunteers plasma showed higher antioxidant capacity than after fermented cabbage intake. The study has shown that fermentation process affects red cabbage anthocyanins bioavailability and human plasma antioxidant capacity.