title: [Comparison of lutein, zeaxanthin and β-carotene level in raw and cooked foods consumed in Beijing].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To measure lutein, zeaxanthin and β-carotene level in foods commonly consumed in Beijing, and compare the content difference between raw and cooked food.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-six commonly consumed foods of 8 classes were collected in Haidian district of Beijing from September to October in 2009. A high performance liquid chromatography method was used to determine the content of lutein, zeaxanthin and β-carotene in both raw and cooked samples.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Lutein was abundant in cucurbitaceous and solanaceous, allium and nuts, especially in Chinese chive (18 226.9 µg/100 g) and pumpkin (13 265.2 µg/100 g). Major sources of zeaxanthin included round pumpkin, green garlic shoot, corn and eggs, whose level of zeaxanthin were 444.6, 283.5, 279.7, 118.6 - 377.9 µg/100 g, respectively. Zeaxanthin level of those cooked foods changed to 483.9, 239.3, 279.1, 149.5 - 594.7 µg/100 g, respectively. The zeaxanthin level of cooked Chinese chive reached 1081.2 µg/100 g, while we did not detect any zeaxanthin in raw Chinese chive. β-carotene was present in a wide variety of vegetables and fruits. Carrot (17 234.3 µg/100 g) was a good source of β-carotene, while its level in cooked carrot was 17 013.5 µg/100 g.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Consuming the proper kinds of foods and changing the method of food processing were beneficial to increase the intake of lutein, zeaxanthin and β-carotene.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China.
authors.forename: Zi-xin
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Peng-cheng
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Ting-ting
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Xian-rong
authors.initials: XR
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Le
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Yang-mu
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Xiao-ming
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D003296:Cooking; D005502:Food; D005504:Food Analysis; D014975:Lutein / Q000032:analysis*; D024341:Xanthophylls / Q000032:analysis*; D065146:Zeaxanthins; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D024341:Xanthophylls; D065146:Zeaxanthins; D019207:beta Carotene; D014975:Lutein