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D. A. VATTEM, Dept. of Family & Consumer Sciences, Texas State Univ., San Marcos, Nutritional Biomedicine & Biotechnology, 601 University Dr., San Marcos, TX 78666 Dietary phytochemicals having high antioxidant activity are widely considered to be responsible for many beneficial effects on human health. Recent epidemiological evidence has indicated that consumption of fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices rich in phenolic antioxidants are linked to the decreased incidences of many chronic and infectious diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Even though dietary antioxidants have been implicated to have many protective effects very little is understood with respect to its bioavailability, absorption and metabolism. The low bioavailability of dietary antioxidants, metabolic bioprocessing by digestive enzymes and intestinal microflora affect its in vivo functions. The current knowledge on the bioavailability, absorption and metabolism of dietary antioxidants based on the work done in our laboratory and elsewhere will be discussed here. The differences in the mechanism of uptake and metabolism of dietary antioxidants by different cell types in the body and its impact on biological functionality will also be discussed. Innovative strategies to enhance the bioavailability and eventual functionality of dietary antioxidants which can help in designing more effective functional foods and nutraceuticals will be discussed based on the results obtained in our laboratory.
Session 10, Natural antioxidants in herbs and spices
2005 IFT Annual Meeting, July 15-20 - New Orleans, Louisiana |