Glenna Yu Ya Poh

• BSc (Hons) Food & Human Nutrition
• Potential benefit of seaweeds in management of Type II diabetes mellitus

Type II diabetes mellitus is a chronic medical condition resulting from abnormally high blood glucose level after meal consumption. It is caused by resistance of body cells to the effect of hormone (i.e. insulin) in absorption of glucose released from the digestion of carbohydrate, and abnormal glucose release in the liver to the body despite raised blood glucose level.

This study investigated the inhibitory effect on carbohydrate digestion by digesting encapsulated brown seaweed in two types of beads made from brown seaweed fibre (i.e. alginate) in laboratory model of gut system. It was found that carbohydrate digestion was affected by encapsulated seaweed in DMB alginate beads but not the GHB alginate beads; which was related to their organic compounds (i.e. polyphenols) released during the small intestinal digestion phase. This inhibitory effect of encapsulated seaweed in DMB alginate beads could possibly provide a potential alternative solution in managing blood glucose level.

Funding source: Newcastle University

Supervisors: Prof Jeff Pearson and Dr Matthew Wilcox