title: Bioavailability of Oil-Based and β -Lactoglobulin-Complexed Vitamin A in a Rat Model.
abstract: β -Lactoglobulin is capable of binding fat-soluble compounds including vitamin A palmitate and is suggested to specifically enhance intestinal uptake of retinol. In this study, bioavailability of a vitamin-A-retinyl palmitate complex in skim milk and in water-based liquids was investigated in vitamin-A-depleted rats. First, rats were fed a vitamin-A-free pellet diet for 6 wk and were thereafter gavage-fed with vitamin A in oil, vitamin-A- β -lactoglobulin complex, vitamin A in oil + skim milk, and vitamin-A- β -lactoglobulin + skim milk for 2 wk and 42 wk. Vitamin A repletion, as judged by vitamin A accumulation in serum and liver, occurred in all the treatments. Vitamin-A- β -lactoglobulin complex treatments had statistical equivalence with oil-based vitamin A treatments. In a second experiment, vitamin-A-depleted rats were fed UHT-processed skim milk fortified with either oil-based or freeze-dried β -lactoglobulin-complexed retinyl palmitate. Liver and serum vitamin A were analyzed by HPLC to indicate vitamin A status in the rats. Results showed no significant difference in bioavailability of retinyl palmitate from milk made with either regular oil-based or β -lactoglobulin-complexed fortifiers. The vitamin-A- β -lactoglobulin complex, being water soluble, may be useful for fortification of nonfat products.
authors: Interdepartmental Program in Nutrition, Department of Food Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA.
authors: Ying
authors: Y
authors: Liu
authors: Interdepartmental Program in Nutrition, Department of Food Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA.
authors: Ju-Jean
authors: JJ
authors: Shaw
authors: Interdepartmental Program in Nutrition, Department of Food Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA.
authors: Harold E
authors: HE
authors: Swaisgood
authors: Interdepartmental Program in Nutrition, Department of Food Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA.
authors: Jonathan C
authors: JC
authors: Allen