Plant-based foods: structure–function and nutrient bioaccessibility

Summary

Published in the Annual Review of Food Science and Technology, this review by Ubbinks and Ferruzzi (2020) synthesises current understanding of how the structural organisation of plant-based foods — including cell wall integrity, matrix entrapment, and molecular interactions — governs the bioaccessibility of nutrients during gastrointestinal digestion. The paper likely draws on in vitro digestion models, in vivo studies, and processing literature to identify how factors such as cooking, mechanical disruption, and food formulation alter nutrient release. It represents a significant reference point for understanding the gap between the nutrient content of plant foods as measured analytically and the fraction that is physiologically accessible.

UK applicability

While not UK-specific, the principles discussed are directly applicable to UK dietary guidance, food labelling policy, and product development for plant-based diets, which are of growing relevance given UK targets to shift consumption towards more plant-based foods.

Key measures

Nutrient bioaccessibility (% released); food matrix structural properties; digestive release kinetics; bioavailability estimates for vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals

Outcomes reported

The review examines how the physical and chemical structure of plant-based foods influences the bioaccessibility and bioavailability of key nutrients during digestion. It likely reports on how food processing, matrix composition, and cellular architecture affect the release and absorption of vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and macronutrients.

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