Health benefits of apple polyphenols for different chronic diseases are postulated. To exert bioactive properties, absorption into the body is required (bioavailability), which is strongly influenced by matrix release (bioaccessibility). For seven apple varieties, in vitro experiments with simulated saliva fluid (SSF) and ex vivo digestion with centrifuged human saliva were conducted. Polyphenol characterization (high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry) and quantification (high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection) was related to an aqueous methanolic extraction. A polyphenol release of 63-82% from flesh and 42-58% from peel was estimated. While hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives were released in total, a significant retention was observed for flavanes and flavones. In particular, procyanidins were retained with increasing molecular weight. The data reveal a considerable polyphenol release during the oral digestion; however, differences among the varieties as well as flesh and peel were obvious. Due to negligible differences between both digestion media, the data supported the use of SSF instead of human saliva in further experiments.
Keywords: commercial apple varieties; ex vivo oral digestion; human saliva; in vitro oral digestion; phenolic compounds; procyanidins; release; simulated saliva fluid; traditional apple varieties.