title: The accumulation of alpha- and beta-carotene in serum and tissues of preruminant calves fed raw and steamed carrot slurries.
abstract: The preruminant calf model was used to evaluate the effects of mild heat treatment on the serum and tissue accumulation of alpha- and beta-carotene from carrots. Twenty-four 1-wk-old Holstein male calves were assigned to one of four groups and fed a milk replacer diet. Negative control animals received no additional supplement. The three remaining groups received an additional 20 mg beta-carotene/d from either water-soluble beadlets, homogenized raw carrots or homogenized steamed carrots. Serum samples were obtained daily, and calves were killed after 7 d and samples of serum, liver and adrenal collected. Tissue and serum alpha- and beta-carotene concentrations were not significantly higher in steamed carrot-fed animals than in raw carrot-fed animals. The molar ratios of beta-carotene to alpha-carotene in both raw carrot-fed and steamed carrot-fed groups were highest in adrenal tissues, intermediate in serum and lowest in the diets. None of these differences were statistically significant. When the serum, liver and adrenal beta-carotene data were pooled, the mean relative accumulation of beta-carotene, expressed as a percentage of the mean response of calves receiving water-soluble beadlets, was 46.8% for calves fed raw carrots and 74.0% for calves fed steamed carrots. These results suggest a small enhancing effect of mild heat treatment of carrots on the serum and tissue accumulation of carotenoids.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana 61801.
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Poor
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Bierer
authors.forename: N R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Merchen
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Fahey
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Erdman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D002417:Cattle; D004032:Diet; D006358:Hot Temperature; D008297:Male; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014675:Vegetables; D019207:beta Carotene
chemical_list: D019207:beta Carotene; D002338:Carotenoids; C041635:alpha-carotene