Bocaiuva (Acrocomia aculeata (Jacq.) Lodd) improved Vitamin A status in rats.
Carotenoid bioavailability is influenced by various factors including the food matrix. The release of those molecules from the food matrix is the initial and most important step in the absorption process. The relative bioavailability of bocaiuva pulp beta-carotene in relation to pure beta-carotene was assayed by a hepatic retinol store, in vitamin A deficient Wistar rats. After the depletion period, the vitamin A deficient rats were separated into two groups and fed an AIN-93G modified diet, which contained 14 400 microg of pure beta-carotene (beta-carotene diet) or 13 475 microg of beta-carotene from 275 g of bocaiuva pulp (bocaiuva diet) per 1 kg of the diet as a vitamin A source. Both experimental diets resulted in similar body weight gains. The bioavailability, estimated as Retinol Accumulation Factor, was 7.3 and 3.5 for the beta-carotene and the Bocaiuva group, respectively. These results show that in spite of the matrix of the bocaiuva pulp, the beta-carotene bioavailability from this fruit was higher than the pure beta-carotene.
Ramos
Maria Isabel L
MI
Departamento de Tecnologia de Alimentos e Saúde Pública, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul (UFMS), Campo Grande MS, Brazil.
Siqueira
Egle M A
EM
Isomura
Clarissa C
CC
Barbosa
António M J
AM
Arruda
Sandra F
SF
D000818:Animals; D028023:Arecaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D001682:Biological Availability; D004032:Diet; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000032:analysis / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
D019207:beta Carotene