Vitamin A equivalence of the ß-carotene in ß-carotene-biofortified maize porridge consumed by women.
BACKGROUND
β-Carotene-biofortified maize is being developed through plant breeding as a sustainable agronomic approach to alleviate vitamin A deficiency.


OBJECTIVE
Our objective was to quantify the vitamin A equivalence of the β-carotene in β-carotene-biofortified maize based on consumption of a single serving of maize porridge.


METHODS
Six healthy women each consumed three 250-g portions of maize porridge as follows: 1) β-carotene-biofortified maize porridge containing 527 μg (0.98 μmol) total β-carotene, 2) white maize porridge with a β-carotene reference dose containing 595 μg (1.11 μmol) added β-carotene, and 3) white maize porridge with a vitamin A reference dose containing 286 μg retinol activity equivelent (1.00 μmol) added retinyl palmitate. Each portion contained 8.0 g added sunflower oil. The porridges were consumed in random order separated by ≥2 wk. Blood samples were collected over 9 h. Retinyl palmitate was analyzed in plasma triacylglycerol-rich lipoprotein (TRL) fractions by HPLC with coulometric array electrochemical detection.


RESULTS
Mean (± SD) areas under the curve for retinyl palmitate in the TRL fractions (nmol ⋅ h) were 24.0 ± 9.4, 89.7 ± 34.7, and 80.1 ± 24.8 after ingestion of the β-carotene-biofortified maize porridge, the white maize porridge with the β-carotene reference dose, and the white maize porridge with the vitamin A reference dose, respectively. On average, 6.48 ± 3.51 μg (mean ± SD) of the β-carotene in β-carotene-biofortified maize porridge and 2.34 ± 1.61 μg of the β-carotene in the reference dose were each equivalent to 1 μg retinol.


CONCLUSIONS
β-Carotene in biofortified maize has good bioavailability as a plant source of vitamin A.
Li
Shanshan
S
Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011-1120, USA.
Nugroho
Angela
A
Rocheford
Torbert
T
White
Wendy S
WS
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D019540:Area Under Curve; D001682:Biological Availability; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005260:Female; D005527:Food, Fortified; D006801:Humans; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry; D012016:Reference Values; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult; D003313:Zea mays; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*
D008074:Lipoproteins; D014280:Triglycerides; D019207:beta Carotene; D014801:Vitamin A