Table 1.

In vitro screening methods.

In vitro method	End point	Advantages	Limitations
Solubility	Measures bioaccessibility	Simple to do Relatively inexpensive Easy to conduct, every laboratory would have the necessary equipment	Sometimes not a reliable indicator of bioavailability Cannot assess rate of uptake or absorption or transport kinetics Cannot measure nutrient or food component competition at the site of absorption
Dialyzability	Measures bioaccessibility	Simple to do Relatively inexpensive Easy to conduct, every laboratory would have the necessary equipment	Cannot assess rate of uptake or absorption or transport kinetics Cannot measure nutrient or food component competition at the site of absorption
Gastrointestinal models	Measures bioaccessibility. However, when coupled to intestinal cells, bioavailability can also be measured	Incorporates many digestion parameters (peristalsis, churning, body temperature, etc.,) Allows the collection of digest at any step of the digestive system	Expensive Few validation studies
Caco-2 cell model	Measures bioavailability	• Allows the study of nutrient or food component competition at the site of absorption	• Requires trained personnel with knowledge of cell culture methods