title: Tangerine tomatoes increase total and tetra-cis-lycopene isomer concentrations more than red tomatoes in healthy adult humans.
abstract: Lycopene, or the foods that contain it, may prevent prostate cancer. Studies suggest that some cis-lycopene isomers are more bioavailable than the trans-lycopene isomer. We hypothesized that tangerine tomatoes, which predominantly contain the tetra-cis isomer, should be a good source of bioavailable lycopene. We fed lunches containing 300 g tangerine or red tomato sauce per day to 21 healthy adults in a double-blind crossover design. We collected blood at baseline and after each treatment and washout period. We measured tetra-cis, other cis, and trans lycopene, as well as other carotenoids, by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Both tomato sauces increased lycopene concentrations in blood, but the tangerine tomato sauce caused a greater increase of total and tetra-cis-lycopene. The cis isomer(s) may also have facilitated absorption of the trans-lycopene isomer. Indices of oxidative damage decreased as serum lycopene concentrations increased. Our results suggest that total lycopene concentrations can be increased by substituting tetra-cis-lycopene-rich tangerine tomatoes for common red tomatoes in the diet.
authors.affiliation: Western Human Nutrition Research Center, USDA, ARS, PWA, Davis, California, USA. betty.burri@ars.usda.gov
authors.forename: Betty Jane Burri
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Burri
authors.forename: Mary H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Chapman
authors.forename: Terry R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Neidlinger
authors.forename: Jung S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Betty K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Ishida
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood* / Q000737:chemistry; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004032:Diet; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007536:Isomerism; D000077276:Lycopene; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D013045:Species Specificity; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D019207:beta Carotene; D002338:Carotenoids; C041635:alpha-carotene; D000077276:Lycopene