In vitro starch and protein digestibility of disease specific nutrition formulations

Nutritional supplements are used in the management of diseases. The composition and form of nutrients in the supplements depend on the altered needs and gastrointestinal function of patients. The nutrition label of the supplements lacks information on the in vitro digestibility of nutrients which ultimately decides the availability of nutrients for absorption. Various factors that influence digestibility and availability include source of the nutrient, gut functionality, processing, physicochemical properties in the food matrix and inter-nutrient interactions. This study aimed at analyzing the in vitro starch and protein digestibility of six commercially available food formulations used in various disease conditions. The starch digestibility index (SDI) ranged from 64.47 ± 1.92 to 82.35 ± 2.71 and rapidly available glucose (RAG) from 26.06 ± 0.61 to 44.23 ± 0.38g per 100g. Dietary fiber content was inversely related with SDI (r - 0.845). The protein digestibility ranged from 41.42 ± 2.67 - 96.84 ± 1.01%. Formulations containing isolated forms of whey, casein and soy protein had a higher digestibility than in combinations. Besides information on the nutrient content, specifying the digestion characteristics of disease specific commercial formulations will help in their judicious use in meeting the nutritional requirements in various disease conditions.