Processing tangerine tomatoes: effects on lycopene-isomer concentrations and profile.
Because lycopene is a powerful biological antioxidant, its delivery to humans is of major concern. cis-Lycopene isomers are more bioavailable than the all-trans isomers and thus more efficiently absorbed. Tangerine tomatoes, whose lycopene isomeric content is almost all tetra-cis, provide a useful food source for comparing cis- and trans-isomer absorption. Tangerine tomatoes were processed into sauce in the Univ. of California, Davis Pilot Plant for subsequent use in a human feeding study described in another publication. Samples were taken at several stages during processing and carotenoids extracted and analyzed for carotenoid-isomer profiles and concentrations. Analyses showed that total lycopene concentration decreased considerably during the 1st step of processing, which included heating and juicing operations. Processing resulted in a large decrease in tetra-cis lycopene concentration accompanied by increases in trans- and other cis-lycopene isomers.
Ishida
B K
BK
Processed Foods Research Unit, Western Regional Research Center, USDA, ARS, 800 Buchanan St., Albany, CA 94710, USA. bkishida@pw.usda.gov
Roberts
J S
JS
Chapman
M H
MH
Burri
B J
BJ
D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D001682:Biological Availability; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D002957:Citrus / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D007536:Isomerism; D000077276:Lycopene; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000737:chemistry*; D009753:Nutritive Value; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
D000975:Antioxidants; D002338:Carotenoids; D000077276:Lycopene