Digestion of meat proteins in a human-stomach: A CFD simulation study

Understanding gastric digestion mechanisms is important for the design of functional foods. In this study, we have investigated the meat-protein digestion in human-stomach by using a CFD method. The gastric motility is modeled with a dynamic mesh. The disintegration of large food particles in an acidic environment is simulated using a reaction-diffusion-convection model. A food matrix is used to model the large food-particles. The numerical results show that the digestion and emptying become faster when the meat is treated at a higher temperature. The digestion rate is reduced considerably when the gastric motility or the H+ secretion is weakened due to a stomach disorder. TACs stimulate backflows which enhance the transport of enzymes and H+, thereby accelerating the digestion process. Due to the flow resistance by the food matrix made of large food particles, liquid gastric contents are emptied in a pathway close to the stomach inner-surface. Large food-particles are mainly disintegrated in the region next to the stomach inner-surface. Therefore, the characteristic length scale of species transport (for enzymes or H+) should be the size of food matrix, instead of the size of large food-particles.

Automated summary

Understanding gastric digestion mechanisms is crucial for functional food design. In this study, meat-protein digestion in the human stomach was investigated using a CFD method. The study found that digestion and emptying were faster when meat was treated at a higher temperature. Weakened gastric motility or H+ secretion from stomach disorders significantly reduced the digestion rate. TACs stimulated backflows and enhanced enzyme and H+ transport, accelerating digestion. The presence of a food matrix made of large food particles led to liquid gastric contents being emptied through a pathway close to the stomach inner-surface.