scholarly journals Carotenoid content of pandanus fruit cultivars and other foods of the Republic of Kiribati

2006 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 631-643 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lois Englberger ◽  
William Aalbersberg ◽  
Usaia Dolodolotawake ◽  
Joseph Schierle ◽  
Julia Humphries ◽  
...  

AbstractBackgroundKiribati, a remote atoll island country of the Pacific, has serious problems of vitamin A deficiency (VAD). Thus, it is important to identify locally grown acceptable foods that might be promoted to alleviate this problem. Pandanus fruit (Pandanus tectorius) is a well-liked indigenous Kiribati food with many cultivars that have orange/yellow flesh, indicative of carotenoid content. Few have been previously analysed.AimThis study was conducted to identify cultivars of pandanus and other foods that could be promoted to alleviate VAD in Kiribati.MethodEthnography was used to select foods and assess acceptability factors. Pandanus and other foods were analysed for β- and α-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, lutein, zeaxanthin, lycopene and total carotenoids using high-performance liquid chromatography.ResultsOf the nine pandanus cultivars investigated there was a great range of provitamin A carotenoid levels (from 62 to 19 086 μg β-carotene/100 g), generally with higher levels in those more deeply coloured. Seven pandanus cultivars, one giant swamp taro (Cyrtosperma chamissonis) cultivar and native fig (Ficus tinctoria) had significant provitamin A carotenoid content, meeting all or half of estimated daily vitamin A requirements within normal consumption patterns. Analyses in different laboratories confirmed high carotenoid levels in pandanus but showed that there are still questions as to how high the levels might be, owing to variation arising from different handling/preparation/analytical techniques.ConclusionsThese carotenoid-rich acceptable foods should be promoted for alleviating VAD in Kiribati and possibly other Pacific contexts where these foods are important. Further research in the Pacific is needed to identify additional indigenous foods with potential health benefits.

2009 ◽  
Vol 102 (3) ◽  
pp. 342-349 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie A. Howe ◽  
Bussie Maziya-Dixon ◽  
Sherry A. Tanumihardjo

Efforts to increase β-carotene in cassava have been successful, but the ability of high-β-carotene cassava to prevent vitamin A deficiency has not been determined. Two studies investigated the bioefficacy of provitamin A in cassava and compared the effects of carotenoid content and variety on vitamin A status in vitamin A-depleted Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus). Gerbils were fed a vitamin A-free diet 4 weeks prior to treatment. In Expt 1, treatments (ten gerbils per group) included 45 % high-β-carotene cassava, β-carotene and vitamin A supplements (intake matched to high-β-carotene cassava group), and oil control. In Expt 2, gerbils were fed cassava feeds with 1·8 or 4·3 nmol provitamin A/g prepared with two varieties. Gerbils were killed after 4 weeks. For Expt 1, liver vitamin A was higher (P < 0·05) in the vitamin A (1·45 (sd 0·23) μmol/liver), lower in the control (0·43 (sd 0·10) μmol/liver), but did not differ from the β-carotene group (0·77 (sd 0·12) μmol/liver) when compared with the high-β-carotene cassava group (0·69 (sd 0·20) μmol/liver). The bioconversion factor was 3·7 μg β-carotene to 1 μg retinol (2 mol:1 mol), despite 48 % cis-β-carotene [(Z)-β-carotene] composition in cassava. In Expt 2, cassava feed with 4·3 nmol provitamin A/g maintained vitamin A status. No effect of cassava variety was observed. Serum retinol concentrations did not differ. β-Carotene was detected in livers of gerbils receiving cassava and supplements, but the cis-to-trans ratio in liver differed from intake. Biofortified cassava adequately maintained vitamin A status and was as efficacious as β-carotene supplementation in the gerbil model.


2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 502
Author(s):  
MARIA CRISTINA DIAS PAES ◽  
BETANIA DINIZ VOLPI ◽  
PAULO EVARISTO DE OLIVEIRA GUIMARÃES

 RESUMO - O presente estudo teve por objetivo determinar a retenção de carotenoides em milho biofortificado com carotenoides precursores de vitamina A (ProVA) processado através da moagem a seco e nos derivados canjica, fubá e creme de milho, durante o armazenamento pós-processamento por 24 dias. O perfil de carotenoides foi determinado por cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência (CLAE) e o total de carotenoides precursores de vitamina A foi quantificado a partir das concentrações de α-caroteno, β-caroteno e β-criptoxantina. Os produtos da moagem via seca dos grãos de milho biofortificado (BRS 4104) apresentaram médias percentuais de retenção real de carotenoides totais (CT) de 75,37% (canjica), 73,51% (fubá) e 59,47% (creme) em relação aos grãos, enquanto para carotenoides ProVA os percentuais foram de 74,20% (canjica), 75,21% (fubá) e 60,55% (creme), evidenciando, em média, 30% de perdas como efeito da moagem a seco na retenção de carotenoides presentes nos grãos de milho. Durante o armazenamento ao longo do período de 24 dias ocorreu diminuição linear da retenção de CT e de ProVA nos três derivados estudados. Menores concentrações de carotenoides totais e ProVA nos produtos da moagem via seca de milho (canjica, fubá e creme de milho) e a redução na retenção dessas substâncias observadas durante armazenamento devem ser consideradas, quando da utilização de produtos do milho biofortificado como estratégia complementar em programas nutricionais para redução da deficiência de vitamina A em humanos.Palavras-chave: Zea mays, processamento, degradação, pró-vitamina A, compostos bioativos.CAROTENOIDS RETENTION IN BIOFORTIFIED MAIZE PROCESSED THROUGH DRY MILLING AND DURING STORAGE OF THE RESULTING PRODUCTS  ABSTRACT - The objetive of the present study was to determine the retention of carotenoids in maize biofortified with vitamin A precursors (ProVA) processed through dry milling and during storage of the products flaking grits, corn meal and fine meal. Carotenoid profile was determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and the total vitamin A precursor carotenoids quantified considering the concentration of α-carotene, β-carotene and β-cryptoxanthin. Dry-milling products of ProVA maize BRS 4104 showed mean true retention for total carotenoids of 75.37% (flaking grits), 73.51% (corn meal) and 59.47% (fine meal), whereas retention for ProVA carotenoids were 74.20% (flaking grits), 75.21% (corn meal) and 60.55% (fine meal) revealing 30% of losses on average due to dry milling effect on the retention of carotenoids present in the maize grains. During the 24-day storage period there was a linear decrease in the retention of total carotenoids and ProVA in the three maize biofortified products. Reduced total carotenoids and ProVA contents in the maize dry milling products (flaking grits, corn meal and fine meal) compared to the whole kernels as well as the important losses of these substances during storage is recommended to be taking into account when using biofortified maize as a complementary strategy in nutrition programs focused on improvement of vitamin A deficiency in humans.Keywords: Zea mays, processing, degradation, pro-vitamin A, bioactive compounds.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. e0262412
Author(s):  
Angélica M. Jaramillo ◽  
Santiago Sierra ◽  
Paul Chavarriaga-Aguirre ◽  
Diana Katherine Castillo ◽  
Anestis Gkanogiannis ◽  
...  

Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) biofortification with provitamin A carotenoids is an ongoing process that aims to alleviate vitamin A deficiency. The moderate content of provitamin A carotenoids achieved so far limits the contribution to providing adequate dietary vitamin A levels. Strategies to increase carotenoid content focused on genes from the carotenoids biosynthesis pathway. In recent years, special emphasis was given to ORANGE protein (OR), which promotes the accumulation of carotenoids and their stability in several plants. The aim of this work was to identify, characterize and investigate the role of OR in the biosynthesis and stabilization of carotenoids in cassava and its relationship with phytoene synthase (PSY), the rate-limiting enzyme of the carotenoids biosynthesis pathway. Gene and protein characterization of OR, expression levels, protein amounts and carotenoids levels were evaluated in roots of one white (60444) and two yellow cassava cultivars (GM5309-57 and GM3736-37). Four OR variants were found in yellow cassava roots. Although comparable expression was found for three variants, significantly higher OR protein amounts were observed in the yellow varieties. In contrast, cassava PSY1 expression was significantly higher in the yellow cultivars, but PSY protein amount did not vary. Furthermore, we evaluated whether expression of one of the variants, MeOR_X1, affected carotenoid accumulation in cassava Friable Embryogenic Callus (FEC). Overexpression of maize PSY1 alone resulted in carotenoids accumulation and induced crystal formation. Co-expression with MeOR_X1 led to greatly increase of carotenoids although PSY1 expression was high in the co-expressed FEC. Our data suggest that posttranslational mechanisms controlling OR and PSY protein stability contribute to higher carotenoid levels in yellow cassava. Moreover, we showed that cassava FEC can be used to study the efficiency of single and combinatorial gene expression in increasing the carotenoid content prior to its application for the generation of biofortified cassava with enhanced carotenoids levels.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 132
Author(s):  
Gisèle A. Koua ◽  
Sébastien Niamké

Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) remains a public health problem in developing countries. Consumption of orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) varieties has been proven to be a valuable strategy for VAD alleviation. In this work, OFSP flour was incorporated into wheat flour at 15, 25, 35, and 50% (w/w) and used to prepare baked products. The bioaccessibility of provitamin A carotenoids of OFSP baking products was performed according to an in vitro digestion model. The contribution of OFSP-wheat composite baking products to vitamin A requirements was evaluated. Relatively high amounts (98.70&plusmn;2.17-144.42&plusmn;1.31 &mu;g/g DM) of total carotenoids in OFSP flours was reported in Kakamega-7-Irene, Kabode, and Covington cultivars. The recovery of provitamin A carotenoid in baking products containing 15, 25, 35, and 50% OFSP flour was 1031.04&plusmn;6.36-3364.21&plusmn;10.22 &mu;g/100 g for cupcakes and 1009.19&plusmn;10.38-4640.72&plusmn;13.43 &mu;g/100 g for cookies, respectively. The in vitro bioaccessibility of provitamin A carotenoids of OFSP composite cupcake ranged from 12.53 to 27.21% while that of OFSP composite cookies was significantly different (p ˂ 0.05) and ranged from 15.99 to 27.84%. The results also showed that cupcake and cookies containing 35% and 50% OFSP flours could be used to fight vitamin A deficiency in C&ocirc;te d&rsquo;Ivoire as they were found to meet 50 and more than 100% (161% for 100 g portion) of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of vitamin A for children aged 3-10 years. Finally, our results may support adoption of OFSP varieties in order to decrease the risk of vitamin A deficiency in C&ocirc;te d&rsquo;Ivoire.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-31
Author(s):  
Samia Sams ◽  
Mohammad Khairul Alam ◽  
Monira Ahsan ◽  
Sheikh Nazrul Islam

Background: Carotenoids are natural plant pigments and precursors of vitamin A, which provide a health benefit, protect against chronic degenerative diseases, and contribute to immune functions. Utilization and identification of foods with a high content of carotenoids received greater attention nowadays. Objective: The present study was aimed at evaluating total carotenoids content (TCC) and carotene composition of unconventional leafy vegetables growing in Bangladesh. Materials and Methods: The samples were collected from different locations of Bangladesh and mixed together to ensure sample representativeness. Acetone–petroleum ether extraction followed by spectrophotometric measurement was utilized for quantification of TCC. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC- DAD) was used to separate and quantify carotene components. Results and Discussion: The TCC values ranged from 129.38 μg/100 g edible portion (EP) in Helencha to 12803.31 μg/100 g EP in Roktodrone. The study findings also revealed that the selected plant samples exhibited high content of β-carotene ranging from 120.99 μg/100 g EP in Parul to 11301.16 μg/100 g EP in Roktodrone. It was also observed that most of the vegetables analyzed did not have α-carotene, lycopene, β-cryptoxanthin or it was in such a small quantity that could not be detected with HPLC. Conclusion: It can be suggested that regular intake of these vegetables may provide pro-vitamin A. In order to address the vitamin A deficiency and to maintain biodiversity, the analysis of carotenoids composition of these unconventional plant foods is to be initiated and make it available to the mass population. It would also fill up the data gap in the existing food composition table of Bangladesh.


Author(s):  
Inocent Gouado ◽  
Adelaide Demasse Mawamba ◽  
Ruphine Solange Meyimgo Ouambo ◽  
Issa Touridomon Some ◽  
Tchouanguep Mbiapo Félicité

Vitamin A deficiency is a public health problem in developing countries. Cassava is a major staple food for most Africans. Most often, it is processed into dried fermented cassava (commonly called gari) to limit post harvest losses. The white or yellow type of gari can be obtained without or with the addition of red palm oil respectively. However in most African countries, the process is still traditional and the quantity of red palm oil varies from one producer to another. This study aimed to standardize the processing of cassava into gari and determine the carotenoïd content of dried fermented cassava roots cooked with different quantities of red palm oil. Grated samples from 210g of cassava tubers were fermented and fried at 120°C ± 5 for 10 minutes with (yellow gari) and without whole red palm oil (white gari). The quantities of red palm oil used were 2, 3, 4, 5 and 8 ml. The alpha and beta carotene contents of gari (experimental samples) and of yellow gari bought from a local market (commercial samples) were evaluated by HPLC. The organoleptic properties of the gari were assessed using 18 volunteers aged between 20 to 30 years accustomed to gari. From the results, the provitamin A carotenoïd content of gari obtained increased significantly (P< 0.05) with the quantity of oil used and were higher than that of the commercial samples. The alpha carotene ranged from 352.6 ± 5.5 µg/g to 1572.5 ± 15.9 µg/g (for 2 and 8 ml of palm oil respectively) and the beta carotene from 309.7 ± 24.8 µg/g to 1624.3 ± 45.8 µg/g (for 2 and 8 ml of oil respectively). These results suggest that the addition of red palm oil (4 ml/210 g of cassava) during the processing of cassava into yellow gari resulted in good retention of carotenoïd. Gari is a dry product, thus if it is well conserved after processing in dark airtight packages, it could be used as a good tool to reduce vitamin A deficiency.


2013 ◽  
Vol 83 (2) ◽  
pp. 122-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cécile Renaud ◽  
Jacques Berger ◽  
Arnaud Laillou ◽  
Sylvie Avallone

Vitamin A deficiency is still one of the major public health problems in least developed countries. Fortification of vegetable oils is a strategy implemented worldwide to prevent this deficiency. For a fortification program to be effective, regular monitoring is necessary to control food quality in the producing units. The reference methods for vitamin A quantification are expensive and time-consuming. A rapid method should be useful for regular assessment of vitamin A in the oil industry. A portable device was compared to high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for three plant oils (rapeseed, groundnut, and soya). The device presented a good linearity from 3 to 30 mg retinol equivalents per kg (mg RE.kg- 1). Its limits of detection and quantification were 3 mg RE.kg- 1 for groundnut and rapeseed oils and 4 mg RE.kg- 1 for soya oil. The intra-assay precision ranged from 1.48 % to 3.98 %, considered satisfactory. Accuracy estimated by the root mean squares error ranged from 3.99 to 5.49 and revealed a lower precision than HPLC (0.4 to 2.25). Although it offers less precision than HPLC, the device estimates quickly the vitamin A content of the tested oils from 3 or 4 to 15 mg RE.kg- 1.


1996 ◽  
Vol 270 (3) ◽  
pp. L475-L482 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. C. Paquette ◽  
L. Y. Zhang ◽  
W. A. Ellis ◽  
A. L. Scott ◽  
S. R. Kleeberger

The present study determined the effects of vitamin A (vA) deficiency on the responses to ozone (O3) challenges in two inbred strains of mice that are differentially susceptible to O3-induced lung inflammation. Susceptible C57BL/6J (B6) and resistant C3H/HeJ (C3) dams at 2 wk gestation were fed test diets containing either 0 or 10 micrograms retinol/g diet. In mice that were maintained on vA-sufficient (vA+) diet, lung and liver tissue concentrations of vA and retinyl palmitate (RP) were significantly (P<0.05) lower in the B6 strain compared with C3, as measured by high-performance liquid chromatography techniques. vA and RP levels were significantly (P<0.05) reduced in lung and liver tissues of 8-wk old B6 and C3 mice that were maintained on a vA deficient (vA-) diet. vA+ and vA- mice of both strains were exposed to air or 0.3 ppm O3/72 h, and lung injury was assessed by differential cell count and total protein concentration in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) returns. O3 exposure caused significantly (P<0.05) greater increases in inflammatory cells and a total protein in BAL returns of vA+ B6 mice than vA+ C3 mice. vA deficiency significantly (P<0.05) enhanced O3-induced increases in polymorphonuclear leukocytes in C3 mice and epithelial cells loss in both strains. Compared with vA+ mice, lung permeability was also significantly (P<0.05) enhanced in vA- mice of both strains exposed to O3. vA replacement partially reversed the O3-induced lung injury that was enhanced by vA- diet. Results indicate that vA may have an important role in the pathogenesis of O3-induced lung injury in differentially susceptible inbred strains of mice.


2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beatrice Nakhauka Ekesa ◽  
Judith Kimiywe ◽  
Inge Van den Bergh ◽  
Guy Blomme ◽  
Claudie Dhuique-Mayer ◽  
...  

<p>Changes in the concentrations and retention levels of total and individual provitamin A carotenoids (pVACs) during ripening and local processing of the four most popular <em>Musa</em> cultivars of Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo were established through HPLC analysis. The predominant pVACs were all <em>trans</em> ?- and ?-carotene, together constituting about 90% of total pVACs content in raw and processed <em>Musa</em> fruit pulp. The proportion of ?- and ?-carotene was not significantly different in the tested East African Highland Bananas (AAA-EAHB) (‘Nshikazi’ and ‘Vulambya’); in the plantains (‘Musilongo’ and ‘Musheba’), proportion of ?-carotene was almost twice that of ?-carotene. An increase in total pVACs was observed during ripening, with highest levels at ripening stage 3 in all four cultivars. Total pVACs values were as high as 1081µg/100gfw in ‘Vulambya’ and 1819µg/100gfw in ‘Musilongo’. Boiling of the AAA-EAHB and AAB-Plantains resulted to retention of between 40-90% and &gt;95% respectively. Plantains deep-fried in fully-refined palm oil and crude red palm oil for 2 minutes did not seem to lose any pVACs, the levels of total pVACs observed after frying were 100% of what was observed when the fruit was raw. Retinol Activity Equivalents (RAE), in boiled products varied between 22.3 and 173 RAEµg/100gfw, whereas deep fried products had &gt;190 RAEµg/100g edible portion. These results show that the tested AAA-EAHBs and the plantains could meet at least 14% and 30 % of Vitamin A recommended dietary intakes respectively. The findings can therefore guide consumer consumption patterns to maximize vitamin A intake for improved health in these regions and also direct researchers in the selection of <em>Musa</em> cultivars to be incorporated within existing farming systems in the fight against vitamin A deficiency (VAD).</p>


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