Effects of simulated saliva-gastrointestinal digestion on the physicochemical properties and bioactivities of okra polysaccharides.

•Saliva-gastrointestinal digestion of okra polysaccharides (OPS) was studied.•Physicochemical properties of OPS significantly changed during gastrointestinal digestion.•Mw changes resulted in the breakdown of glycosidic bonds during gastric digestion.•Degradation of OPS during intestinal digestion was mainly caused by disrupting aggregates.•OPS still possessed strong bioactivities after gastrointestinal digestion.