Carotenoids are more bioavailable from papaya than from tomato and carrot in humans: a randomised cross-over study.
Carrot, tomato and papaya represent important dietary sources of β-carotene and lycopene. The main objective of the present study was to compare the bioavailability of carotenoids from these food sources in healthy human subjects. A total of sixteen participants were recruited for a randomised cross-over study. Test meals containing raw carrots, tomatoes and papayas were adjusted to deliver an equal amount of β-carotene and lycopene. For the evaluation of bioavailability, TAG-rich lipoprotein (TRL) fractions containing newly absorbed carotenoids were analysed over 9·5 h after test meal consumption. The bioavailability of β-carotene from papayas was approximately three times higher than that from carrots and tomatoes, whereas differences in the bioavailability of β-carotene from carrots and tomatoes were insignificant. Retinyl esters appeared in the TRL fractions at a significantly higher concentration after the consumption of the papaya test meal. Similarly, lycopene was approximately 2·6 times more bioavailable from papayas than from tomatoes. Furthermore, the bioavailability of β-cryptoxanthin from papayas was shown to be 2·9 and 2·3 times higher than that of the other papaya carotenoids β-carotene and lycopene, respectively. The morphology of chromoplasts and the physical deposition form of carotenoids were hypothesised to play a major role in the differences observed in the bioavailability of carotenoids from the foods investigated. Particularly, the liquid-crystalline deposition of β-carotene and the storage of lycopene in very small crystalloids in papayas were found to be associated with their high bioavailability. In conclusion, papaya was shown to provide highly bioavailable β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin and lycopene and may represent a readily available dietary source of provitamin A for reducing the incidence of vitamin A deficiencies in many subtropical and tropical developing countries.
Institute of Food Science and Biotechnology, Hohenheim University, Stuttgart, Germany.
Ralf M
RM
Schweiggert
Department of Food Science and Technology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
Rachel E
RE
Kopec
School of Food Technology, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica.
Maria G
MG
Villalobos-Gutierrez
Institute of Human Genetics, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany.
Josef
J
Högel
Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica.
Silvia
S
Quesada
School of Food Technology, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica.
Patricia
P
Esquivel
Department of Food Science and Technology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
Steven J
SJ
Schwartz
Institute of Food Science and Biotechnology, Hohenheim University, Stuttgart, Germany.
Reinhold
R
Carle
D000328:Adult; D029441:Carica / Q000737:chemistry*; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D003364:Costa Rica; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D065366:Cryptoxanthins; D018552:Daucus carota / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry*; D055951:Functional Food / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry; D000077276:Lycopene; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000737:chemistry*; D009753:Nutritive Value; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry*; D019518:Postprandial Period; D012177:Retinol-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D000084562:Retinyl Esters; D024341:Xanthophylls / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism
D065366:Cryptoxanthins; D008074:Lipoproteins; D012177:Retinol-Binding Proteins; D000084562:Retinyl Esters; D024341:Xanthophylls; C022081:retinyl ester lipoprotein complex; D019207:beta Carotene; D002338:Carotenoids; D000077276:Lycopene