Abstract #2231

Gowland P, Butler M, Marciani L, Spiller R, Wright P, Rayment P, Dalhiwala I, Hoad C, Weaver T

Alginates are extremely versatile biopolymers with a wide range of applications in the food industry. This study aims to investigate behaviour of gelled alginate beads in physiologically simulated GI conditions. Alginate beads were made by dropping 1.5% alginate solution into 0.37% calcium chloride solution. Beads were placed in simulated gastric and intestinal solutions for 2 and 3 hours consecutively. T2 of the beads was measured and rapidly decreased in gastric conditions with beads shrinking in size. T2 increased in intestinal conditions with beads increasing in size. MRI profiling shows similar T2 pattern occurs within beads with outer shell remaining stable.