**5.1 Oral cavity absorption**

During oral digestion, the food matrix is broken down, allowing phenolic compounds and other nutrients to be released into the environment due to enzymatic hydrolysis by salivary α-amylase. However, the decrease in polyphenols such as condensed tannins during mastication is due to the interaction with salivary proteins resulting in insoluble aggregates [50]. Luzardo-Ocampo et al. [68] indicated that the antioxidant activity of bean methanolic extracts during *in vitro* gastrointestinal digestion increases in the mouth stage due to a higher release of certain polyphenols such as catechin, chlorogenic acid, and vanillin. As gastrointestinal digestion progresses, antioxidant activity is increased until it reaches the large intestine, where it decreases.
