Decomposition of cocoa procyanidins in the gastric milieu

There is considerable interest in the bioavailability of flavonoids and phe nolic components of the diet and their bioactivity in vivo. However, little is known of pre-absorption events in the gastric lumen. The effects of the acidic environment, as found in the gastric milieu, on procyanidin oligome rs of catechin polyphenols has been investigated. The results show that und er these conditions the procyanidin oligomers (trimer to hexamer) are hydro lysed to mixtures of epicatechin monomer and dimer, thus enhancing the pote ntial for their absorption in the small intestine. (C) 2000 Academic Press.