In Vitro Study of Cheese Digestion: Effect of Type of Cheese and Intestinal Conditions on Macronutrients Digestibility

Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI) implies maldigestion, being pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy the treatment to enhance digestibility. This study aims at analysing the influence of cheese-related factors and intestinal conditions on macronutrients digestibility. Fresh-cow, fresh-goat, mild and aged cheeses were in vitro digested under different intestinal conditions of pH (6 or 7), bile concentration (1 or 10 mmol/L) and pancreatic enzymes (0-4000 LU/g fat) in order to in vitro mimic the intestinal conditions of a healthy adult and of an individual suffering of EPI. Under intestinal conditions of EN (pH 6, bile 1 mmol/L), lipids of fresh-goat and aged cheeses were more easily digested than those of fresh-cow and mild cheeses. In fact, 2000 LU/g fat of enzymatic dosage was enough to achieve a lipolysis extent of 80 and 100% in aged and fresh-goat cheeses, respectively. In contrast, proteolysis was higher in fresh-cow cheese and ripened (mild or aged) than in fresh-goat one regardless the intestinal conditions. Only in ripened-cheeses, proteolysis significantly increased at dose of enzymes does.