The digestion fates of lipids with different unsaturated levels in people with different age groups

The digestion behavior of lipids plays a crucial role in their nutritional bioaccessibility, which subsequently impacts human health. This study aims to investigate potential variations in lipid digestion profiles among in-dividuals of different ages, considering the distinct physiological functions of the gastrointestinal tract in infants, aging populations, and healthy young adults. The digestion fates of high oleic peanut oil (HOPO), sunflower oil (SO), and linseed oil (LINO) were investigated using in vitro digestion models representing infants, adults, and elders. Comparatively, lipid digestion proved to be more comprehensive in adults, leading to free fatty acid (FFA) levels of 64.53%, 62.32%, and 57.90% for HOPO, SO, and LINO, respectively. Besides, infants demonstrated propensity to selectively release FFAs with shorter chain lengths and higher saturation levels during the diges-tion. In addition, in the gastric phase, particle sizes among the elderly were consistently larger than those observed in infants and adults, despite adults generating approximately 15% FFAs within the stomach. In summary, this study enhances our fundamental comprehension of how lipids with varying degrees of unsatu-ration undergo digestion in diverse age groups.

Automated summary

This study investigates the variations in lipid digestion profiles among individuals of different ages using in vitro digestion models. The findings suggest that adults have a more comprehensive lipid digestion compared to infants, and infants tend to release shorter chain length and more saturated free fatty acids during digestion. Additionally, the particle sizes in the stomach of the elderly were consistently larger. This study enhances our understanding of how lipids with different degrees of unsaturation undergo digestion in diverse age groups.