Postprandial Glucose Reduction by Pomelo Albedo Treated with β-Cyclodextrin and Ultrasound

This study evaluated the use of β-cyclodextrin combined with ultrasound-assisted processing (UAP) to reduce bitterness in pomelo albedo and assess its potential to lower postprandial blood glucose. β-Cyclodextrin was applied at concentrations ranging from 0.0 to 0.9% weight per volume, with and without ultrasonication. The combination of 0.7% β-cyclodextrin and ultrasound significantly achieved the greatest reductions in naringin and limonin by 57.55% and 65.74%, respectively. Sensory analysis confirmed a significant 80.56% decrease in perceived bitterness without adverse effects on the texture. Treated samples showed a higher water absorption index (9.02 ± 0.47 compared to 5.71 ± 0.40 in the control) and greater viscosity (341 ± 1.99 compared to 259 ± 3.10 cP), without altering the total dietary fiber content. In a randomized crossover trial involving 15 participants, consumption of 5 g of treated pomelo albedo with 52 g of available carbohydrate reduced the peak blood glucose concentration (<i>C</i> _max) to 123.93 mg/dL, compared to 137.73 mg/dL following the untreated (primitive) albedo. The incremental area under the curve (iAUC_0-180) also decreased from 4804.95 to 4160.88 min·mmol/L, with no change in time to peak (<i>T</i> _max). These findings highlight the potential of treated pomelo albedo as a functional ingredient for glycemic regulation.