New study offers unique insights on bioavailability of Rousselot collagen peptides

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A study recently published in Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry¹ offers unique insights into the bioavailability of Rousselot’s proprietary collagen peptides Peptan through in vitro models and serum from human volunteers. Conducted in collaboration with INRAe (French National Institute for Agricultural, Environment and Food Research) and Triskelion, four different Rousselot collagen peptides were used in the study.

In vitro digestions designed to mimick the chemical, kinetic, and dynamic conditions of human digestion, showed that while collagen peptides underwent significant changes during digestions and absorption, the various collagen peptides were minimally different from one another following digestion. The peptides of different animal sources showed decreases in molecular weight when exposed to digestive enzymes, but they became more similar as a result of this process.

In the 12 human volunteers, who ingested 25 g of collagen peptides, human serum analysis showed the presence of bioactive hydroxyproline-carrying dipeptides in the blood after Peptan ingestion. These dipeptides (Hydroxyproline-Glycine and Proline-Hydroxyproline) significantly contributed to the total increase of hydroxyproline, the characteristic amino acid of collagen, in the blood.

“This study takes a pioneering approach to capture the changes that Peptan undergoes while passing through our digestive tract and being absorbed into the blood stream. It provides invaluable new data that contribute to build up our science knowledge behind the health benefits of collagen peptides, especially as part of Rousselot’s renewed strategic direction to invest in more fundamental research into the understanding of the mechanism behind Peptan’s health benefits,” said Janne Prawitt, scientific director, Health and Nutrition at Rousselot, in a press release. “The long-term collaboration with INRAe and Triskelion is something we’re really proud of and is essential to helping us achieve a complete and solid understanding of our collagen products in order to keep progressing and innovating as the leader of collagen-based solutions.”

“The value of this study lies in the findings on the changing composition of the collagen hydrolysates. Such highly dynamic and complex products required the design of a novel (data) analytical workflow, which enabled us to compare different types of samples and obtain layered information,” explained Anne Kleinnijenhuis, senior scientist analytical research at Triskelion in a press release. “The insight gained with this approach was crucial for defining a suitable targeted set up. It’s extremely rewarding to lead the way with new scientific methods and to work with high profile partners.”
 

References:

1. Kleinnijenhuis AJ et al. “Non-targeted and targeted analysis of collagen hydrolysates during the course of digestion and absorption.” Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry, vol. 412 (2020): 973-982