α- and γ-Tocopherol Content of Selected Foods in the Mexican Diet: Effect of Cooking Losses

Abstract

HPLC was used to determine α- and γ-tocopherol content in selected foods commonly consumed in the Mexican diet and to study losses due to cooking. Raw corn was high in total tocopherol content (8.1 mg/100 g), but processing into tortillas destroyed almost all of the tocopherols. Legumes were high in γ-tocopherol content. Almonds were high in α-tocopherol content with 22.3 mg/100 g and low in γ-tocopherol content (0.3 mg/100 g). Pecans showed the reverse trend with 0.7 mg/100 g of α- and 9.2 mg/100 g of γ-tocopherol. Peanuts had high levels of both α- and γ-tocopherol (8.2 and 7.9 mg/100 g, respectively). The cooking loss for most grains ranged from 22 to 55%, while that for legumes ranged from 9% for the garbanzo bean to 59% for the bayo bean. Vegetable oils were high in total vitamin E content and contributed the most vitamin E activity (1.3 mg/d), in the Mexican diet. Corn tortillas were low in vitamin E activity (0.03 mg/100 g) but due to their high intake in the Mexican diet, along with pinto beans, c...