title: Carotenoids and retinoids in Finnish foods: dairy products and eggs.
abstract: As part of an overall composition study of Finnish foods, the carotenoid and retinoid content of 20 dairy product samples and eggs were determined by HPLC. The total beta-carotene (all-trans beta-carotene plus 15-cis beta-carotene) was quantitated for dairy products. For egg and egg yolk, lutein content was also determined. Only traces of lycopene, cryptoxanthin, and alpha-carotene were present. All-trans retinol and 13-cis retinol were the major retinoids in dairy products. Small amounts of 9-cis, 11-cis, and 9,11-cis retinols were found. High values of both retinol and beta-carotene were found in full fat cheeses and whipping cream: from 179.0 (cheese, Edam-type) to 318.7 micrograms/100 g (whipping cream) and from 86.7 (cheese, Edam-type) to 186.5 micrograms/100 g (whipping cream) for all-trans retinol and total beta-carotene, respectively. The retinol content averaged 16.3, 32.6, and 52.2 and that of beta-carotene 9.6, 16.7, and 3.0 micrograms/100 g in milk (1.9% fat), milk (3.9% fat), and human milk, respectively. The major pigment in eggs and egg yolk was lutein, 619.5 micrograms/100 g in eggs and 1575.8 micrograms/100 g in egg yolk. According to this study, at the present level of consumption in Finland, milk, milk products (excluding butter), and eggs result in a daily intake of about 350 retinol equivalents, and consequently, are a major source of vitamin A.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Chemistry and Technology, University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ollilainen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heinonen
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Linkola
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Varo
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Koivistoinen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000032:analysis*; D002611:Cheese / Q000032:analysis; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003611:Dairy Products / Q000032:analysis*; D004530:Egg Yolk / Q000032:analysis; D004531:Eggs / Q000032:analysis*; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D014975:Lutein / Q000032:analysis; D008892:Milk / Q000032:analysis; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000032:analysis; D010860:Pigments, Biological / Q000032:analysis; D012176:Retinoids / Q000032:analysis*; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000032:analysis; D024341:Xanthophylls; D065146:Zeaxanthins; D019207:beta Carotene
chemical_list: D010860:Pigments, Biological; D012176:Retinoids; D024341:Xanthophylls; D065146:Zeaxanthins; D019207:beta Carotene; D014801:Vitamin A; D002338:Carotenoids; D014975:Lutein