Pre-clinical study into the effects of digestion and microbiota on (functional) foods, bioactive compounds and pharmaceutical products.
The In Vitro Digestion Platform of Université Laval’s Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods (INAF) specializes in the simulation of the stomach, small intestine and colon digestive process. The team uses dynamic simulations to assess how food, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and other products are digested and absorbed. The simulation systems allow the team to study the interactions in the upper and lower digestive tract without the ethical and budgetary constraints of human or animal testing, in addition to making simulations highly reproducible. They also make it possible to adjust a large number of physicochemical and microbiological parameters to simulate the digestion conditions according to age and health circumstances (infant, young child, adult, senior or person with a pathology), as well as to various animals (e.g., dog, chicken, pig). They take into account interindividual variability to generate highly personalized results relevant to research and development projects.
The team also provides researchers and businesses with in-depth analysis into the decomposition and absorption of ingested products. This knowledge is crucial to the development of healthier, more effective food products. The team works closely with INAF’s analytics, metabolomics and bioinformatics platforms to bring clients customized, turnkey contractual solutions.
- Study of digestion and bioaccessibility in the gastrointestinal tract under a variety of conditions
- Study of biomolecular stability and bioactivity
- Track probiotics (survival and efficacy) until they make it to the parts of the body where they exert their effects
- Characterize the digestion kinetics of nutrients and the release kinetics of encapsulated compounds
- Study the antimicrobial effects of bacteria and compounds on pathogen strains and their safety
- Analyze the interactions between ingested products and the ileum and/or colonic microbiota, including a product’s stability and/or degradation, tracking of microbial metabolites, and the composition of lumen and mucosa microbiota
- Investigate the interactions between ingested products and the host using organoids cultured in vitro from murine stem cells and cell lines
Examples of input:
- Microbial metabolites or microorganisms
- Probiotics, prebiotics, postbiotics and synbiotics
- Dietary fibre, protein and protein by-products
- Nutraceuticals
- Animal feed
- Plant ingredients and extracts (polyphenols)
- Pharmaceutical products
- Complex foods and other food components
- Agriculture, animal science and food
- Consumer durables
- Consumer non-durables
- Life sciences, pharmaceuticals and medical equipment
- Manufacturing and processing
Specialized labs and equipment
| Equipment | Function |
|---|---|
| TIM-1 system | Study the solubility and absorption of ingested products using dynamic simulation of digestive conditions in the stomach and small intestine. |
| INFORS HR Multifors bioreactors | Optimize biotechnological processes using parallel bioreactors, and study the effects of treatment on human intestinal microbiota using immobilized fecal matter. |
| Controlled atmosphere incubator / anaerobic chamber | Maintain a strictly controlled environment for the culture and study of anaerobes, including selected bacteria in the intestinal microbiota. |
| Applied Biosystems 7500 Fast Real-Time PCR System | Amplify DNA/RNA in real time for various applications, such as to identify bacterial genera and quantify bacterial groups or specific bacteria, as well as to monitor the activity of certain genes. |
| ProDigest SHIME® (Simulator of the Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem) | Simulate the gastrointestinal tract to study microbial interactions and the effects of treatments, foods and drugs on the body. |
Private and public sector research partners
- University of Alberta
- Fédération des producteurs acéricoles du Québec
- Advitech inc.
- McGill University
- Hofseth Biocare