title: Isomerization of lycopene in the gastric milieu.
abstract: There is considerable interest in the bioavailability of carotenoids from the diet and their bioactivity in vivo. Little is known, however, of the preabsorption events in the gastric lumen on the breakdown or isomerisation of dietary carotenoids. In this study the effects of the acidic environment found in the gastric milieu on lycopene have been investigated. The results show that under these conditions all-trans-lycopene is isomerised to cis-isomers, which may be implicated in enhanced absorption from the small intestine. Furthermore the pH, as well as the food matrix, seems to have an influence on the level of isomerisation of this carotenoid.
authors.affiliation: Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, GKT School of Biomedical Sciences, King's College, London SE1 9RT, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Re
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Fraser
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Long
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Bramley
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rice-Evans
mesh_terms: D001628:Beverages; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000737:chemistry*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005744:Gastric Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D005750:Gastric Juice / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000737:chemistry; D013237:Stereoisomerism
chemical_list: D002338:Carotenoids