Preparation, characterization of L-aspartic acid chelated calcium from oyster shell source and its calcium supplementation effect in rats

• Main Authors: Zhen Wang, Kangyu Wang, Yinong Feng, Suisui Jiang, Yuanhui Zhao, Mingyong Zeng
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2020-12-01
• Series: Journal of Functional Foods
• Subjects: Oyster shell; L-aspartic acid chelated calcium; Structural characterization; Calcium apparent absorption rate; Bone; Calcium supplementation effect
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1756464620304734

To utilize the calcium of oyster shell, the L-aspartic acid chelated calcium from oyster shell (ACOS) was prepared by chelation reaction and its structural characterization and calcium supplementation effects in rats were investigated. The characterization results indicated that ACOS was clumpy compactly and distributed uniformly with typical amorphous structure, which was formed through oyster shell calcium and carboxyl and amino groups of L-aspartic acid (L-Asp). Animal experiment showed, compared with other treatment groups, ACOS could significantly increase calcium apparent absorption rate, improve serum biochemical indexes and bone growth indexes, and enhance biomechanical properties. ACOS upregulated serum osteoprotegerin (OPG) levels by 43.08% and downregulated ligand of receptor activator of NF-κB (RANKL) levels by 5.93% to regulate bone metabolism. Moreover, ACOS had better effects on restoring osteoporotic bone to healthier bone histomorphology and no obvious side-effects on main organs. The results provided scientific basis for developing a new calcium supplement and the high-value utilization of oyster shell.