Fanbin Kong, an assistant professor of food science and technology in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, received $5,000 from the Georgia Department of Agriculture to evaluate the absorption of selected nutrients and bioactives in peanuts during simulated digestion.
Using a model stomach and intestine system, Kong and his collaborators can simulate the digestion of foods and gauge whether different food types and processing techniques affect the rate of nutrient absorption in the body. Their research will help inform food processing techniques so that people receive the optimal amount of nutrients from the foods they consume.