Concord Grape Pomace Polyphenols Complexed to Soy Protein Isolate Are Stable and Hypoglycemic in Diabetic Mice

Polyphenols extracted from Concord grape pomace were stabilized by complexation to soy protein isolate (SPI) to produce grape polyphenol-SPI complex (GP-SPI) containing 5% or 10% grape polyphenols. LC-MS and MALDI-TOF analysis showed that a broad range of phytochemicals were present in the grape pomace extract. Anthocyanins and total polyphenols in the GP-SPI complex were stable after a 16-week incubation at 37 °C but were reduced by up 60% in dried grape pomace extract. Compared to vehicle (236 ± 34 mg/dL), a single dose of 300 mg/kg GP-SPI (184 ± 32 mg/dL) or 500 mg/kg GP-SPI (177 ± 28 mg/dL) having 5% grape polyphenols significantly lowered blood glucose in obese and hyperglycemic C57BL/6 mice 6 h after administration. GP-SPI allows the capture of grape pomace polyphenols in a protein-rich food matrix and may be useful as a functional food ingredient for the management of blood glucose levels.