In vitro Digestibility and Gastrointestinal Fate of Plant-based Chicken Analogs Prepared Using a Soft Matter Physics Approach

In this study, the potential gastrointestinal fate of a plant-based chicken analog prepared using a soft matter physics approach was compared to that of real chicken breast. The chicken analog was created from potato protein and gellan gum using a complex coacervation-shearing-gelling approach. The INFOGEST static in vitro gastrointestinal model was then used to compare the digestion of the chicken analog to real chicken breast. Changes in the appearance, physiochemical properties, microstructure, protein digestion, and lipid digestion of the chicken samples were recorded after being subjected to simulated oral, gastric, and small intestine conditions. The protein digestibility of the plant-based chicken was higher than the real chicken after exposure to simulated stomach conditions, but it was lower after exposure to simulated small intestine conditions. The digestibility of the fat in the plant-based chicken was lower in the intestinal phase than that for the real chicken. This reduced digestibility of the fat and protein in the small intestine for the chicken analogs may have been because of the gellan gum they contained. This hydrocolloid increased the viscosity of the intestinal fluids and may have inhibited interactions between digestive enzymes and macronutrients. Our results have important implications for assessing the potential impacts of adopting a more plant-based diet on human health and wellbeing.