title: Carotenoid content of pandanus fruit cultivars and other foods of the Republic of Kiribati.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Kiribati, 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.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study was conducted to identify cultivars of pandanus and other foods that could be promoted to alleviate VAD in Kiribati.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ethnography was used to select foods and assess acceptability factors. Pandanus and other foods were analysed for beta- and alpha-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, lutein, zeaxanthin, lycopene and total carotenoids using high-performance liquid chromatography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the nine pandanus cultivars investigated there was a great range of provitamin A carotenoid levels (from 62 to 19,086 microg beta-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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These 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.
authors.affiliation: Island Food Community of Pohnpei, Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia.
authors.forename: Lois
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Englberger
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Aalbersberg
authors.forename: Usaia
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Dolodolotawake
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schierle
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Humphries
authors.forename: Tinai
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iuta
authors.forename: Geoffrey C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Marks
authors.forename: Maureen H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Fitzgerald
authors.forename: Betarim
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rimon
authors.forename: Mamarau
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaiririete
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001682:Biological Availability; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods; D058870:Food, Organic; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008849:Micronesia; D009753:Nutritive Value; D031673:Pandanaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D010858:Pigmentation; D011634:Public Health; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000032:analysis / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D019207:beta Carotene; D014801:Vitamin A; D002338:Carotenoids; C041635:alpha-carotene