title: Carotenoids, vitamins (A, B2, C and E) and total folate of traditional foods from Black Sea Area countries.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Carotenoids, vitamins (A, B2, C and E) and total folate are related to health promotion. However, there are still many food matrices for which the content of these compounds is not available. In order to fill this gap, traditional foods from Black Sea Area countries (BSAC) were analysed in order to investigate their potential health benefits.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most abundant carotenoid was β-carotene. Plum jam was the sample with the highest β-carotene content (608 µg 100 g(-1) edible portion). The group of vegetables and vegetable-based foods contributed most to β-carotene content. Evergreen cherry laurel presented the highest l-ascorbic acid content (29.9 mg 100 g(-1) edible portion), while the highest riboflavin and total folate contents were found for roasted sunflower seeds. Approximately 61% of the analysed samples showed quantifiable amounts of α-tocopherol but did not contain retinol.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite the great variability in the content of carotenoids, vitamins and total folate, most of the analysed traditional foods from BSAC can be considered good sources of these compounds. Therefore, owing to their putative health benefits, the consumption of those with higher contents of these compounds should be encouraged and promoted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Nutrition, National Institute of Health Dr Ricardo Jorge, IP, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sanches-Silva
authors.forename: Tânia G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Albuquerque
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Finglas
authors.forename: Tiago
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Valente
authors.forename: Effie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vasilopoulou
authors.forename: Antonia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Trichopoulou
authors.forename: Iordanka
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Alexieva
authors.forename: Nadiya
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Boyko
authors.forename: Cármen-Eugenia
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Costea
authors.forename: Osman
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Hayran
authors.forename: Mariam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jorjadze
authors.forename: Leonid
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kaprelyants
authors.forename: Dmitry
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Karpenko
authors.forename: L Filippo
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: D'Antuono
authors.forename: Helena S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Costa
mesh_terms: D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000032:analysis; D059038:Black Sea; D002031:Bulgaria; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000032:analysis*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods; D003469:Culture; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000032:analysis*; D005504:Food Analysis / Q000379:methods; D005846:Georgia (Republic); D006801:Humans; D009753:Nutritive Value; D012256:Riboflavin / Q000032:analysis; D012383:Romania; D012426:Russia; D014421:Turkey; D014455:Ukraine; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000032:analysis; D014815:Vitamins / Q000032:analysis*; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000032:analysis; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D014815:Vitamins; D019207:beta Carotene; D014801:Vitamin A; D002338:Carotenoids; D005492:Folic Acid; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol; D001205:Ascorbic Acid; D012256:Riboflavin
keywords: bioactive compounds; carotenoids; total folate; traditional foods; ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography; vitamins