Bioavailability Research Projects

Project 1:

Use of cellular model systems to determine bioavailability of selected polyphenols/metabolites from a blackberry enriched dairy beverage.

As part of a larger project to develop a novel high protein, polyphenol-enriched dairy beverage for athletes and physically active individuals, this research group investigated the bioavailability of phenolics from a blended dairy and blackberry beverage. The total phenol content of the samples was measured before and after an in-vitro digestion procedure. Phenolic bioavailability was also assessed following incubation of the digested beverage with Caco-2 intestinal cells grown on transwell plates.

An intervention trial examining the impact of the polyphenol-enriched dairy beverage on post exercise muscle soreness was conducted and this research group was responsible for analysing blood samples for biomarkers of oxidative stress including malondialdehyde, protein carbonyls, FRAP and isoprostane.  Biomarkers were measured by ELISA and biochemical assays.

Key words: Polyphenols, bioavailability, ELISA, Caco-2.

Principal Investigator: Dr Alice Lucey

Researchers:   Tessa van de Langerijt

Yvonne O’Callaghan

Conor Carey

Collaborators: Teagasc Food Research Centre and Waterford Institute of Technology.

Funder: Irish Government Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, under the Food for Health Research.

Project duration: 2019- 2023.