Food Matrix Effects on in Vitro Digestion of Microencapsulated Tuna Oil Powder

Tuna oil, containing 53 mg of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and 241 mg of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) per gram of oil, delivered as a neat microencapsulated tuna oil powder (25% oil loading) or in food matrices (orange juice, yogurt, or cereal bar) fortified with micro encapsulated tuna oil powder was digested in simulated gastric fluid or sequentially in simulated gastric fluid and simulated intestinal fluid. The level of fortification was equivalent to 1 g of tuna oil per recommended serving size (i.e., per 200 g of orange juice or yogurt or 60 g of cereal bar). The changes in particle size of oil droplets during digestion were influenced by the method of delivery of the microencapsulated tuna oil powder. Lipolysis in simulated gastric fluid was low, with only 4.4-6.1% EPA and <= 1.5% DHA released after digestion (as a % of total fatty acids present). After sequential exposure to simulated gastric and intestinal fluids, much higher extents of lipolysis of both glycerol-bound EPA and DHA were obtained (73.2-78.6% for the neat powder, fortified orange juice, and yogurt; 60.3-64.0% for the fortified cereal bar). This research demonstrates that the choice of food matrix may influence the lipolysis of microencapsulated tuna oil.