3.1.3. Phenolic compounds
Absorption of polyphenolics from fruit beverages follows similar multistep pathways to other bioactive compounds that generally require (a) release of the specific phenolic from the beverage matrix, (b) solubilisation in the gut lumen, (c) stability of the polyphenolic to digestive conditions, (d) uptake by small intestinal absorptive epithelial cells and (d) potential for intracellular metabolism and secretion into blood stream. Nevertheless, phenolic compounds can also be metabolised by colonic microflora to simple phenolic, organic acids and several other products which are subsequently absorbed and distributed to tissues (Ferruzzi, 2010). However, for the purpose of this paper, only small intestinal absorption will be discussed.