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Review Article

Utility of models of the gastrointestinal tract for assessment of the digestion and absorption of engineered nanomaterials released from food matrices

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Pages 523-542 | Received 29 Jan 2014, Accepted 09 Jul 2014, Published online: 14 Aug 2014
 

Abstract

Engineered metal/mineral, lipid and biochemical macromolecule nanomaterials (NMs) have potential applications in food. Methodologies for the assessment of NM digestion and bioavailability in the gastrointestinal tract are nascent and require refinement. A working group was tasked by the International Life Sciences Institute NanoRelease Food Additive project to review existing models of the gastrointestinal tract in health and disease, and the utility of these models for the assessment of the uptake of NMs intended for food. Gastrointestinal digestion and absorption could be addressed in a tiered approach using in silico computational models, in vitro non-cellular fluid systems and in vitro cell culture models, after which the necessity of ex vivo organ culture and in vivo animal studies can be considered. Examples of NM quantification in gastrointestinal tract fluids and tissues are emerging; however, few standardized analytical techniques are available. Coupling of these techniques to gastrointestinal models, along with further standardization, will further strengthen methodologies for risk assessment.

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the NanoRelease Food Additive secretariat for their excellent work in coordinating this review, including Richard Canady, Lyubov Tsytsikova, Molly Bloom and Elyse Lee (all of the International Life Sciences Institute Research Foundation, USA). We acknowledge the NanoRelease Food Additive Steering Committee, which operates as an independent public–private partnership (http://www.ilsi.org/ResearchFoundation/RSIA/Pages/FoodAdditiveSteeringCommittee.aspx), for convening the authors of this review, and for developing the initial framing concepts for the paper. The advisory contributions of James Waldman (Ohio State University), Susann Bellman (TNO, Netherlands), Alastair Watson (University of East Anglia), and Jonathan Powell (MRC Human Nutrition Research) are also acknowledged. We thank Bevan Pearce (Health Canada) for assisting with the Pubmed literature searches, and Joel Rotstein and Azam Tayabali (Health Canada) for reviewing the manuscript.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflict of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper. In the past, Vicki Stone had received research funding from Unilever. The initial convening Steering Committee phase of the NanoRelease Food Additive project was funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts, the US Food and Drug Administration, Health Canada, ILSI North America, the Coca-Cola Company, the Illinois Institute of Technology’s Institute for Food Safety and Health and the ILSI Research Foundation. Substantial in-kind support was provided by the Nanotechnology Industries Association. The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the US Department of Health and Human Services, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the US Government. This paper reflects the current thinking and experience of the authors.