Differences In Carotenoid Content Research Articles

Decreased Carotenoid Content in Preaponeurotic Orbital Fat of Patients With Involutional Ptosis

The underlying cause of involutional blepharoptosis is unknown. The carotenoid content of preaponeurotic and nasal orbital fat among patients with and without involutional ptosis was evaluated to investigate the hypothesis that development of ptosis may be related to low carotenoid content of preaponeurotic orbital fat. Through a case-control design, the carotenoid content of preaponeurotic and nasal fat of 10 patients with ptosis and 11 patients without ptosis was measured by spectrophotometry analysis. Differences in carotenoid content between patients with and without ptosis were evaluated in unadjusted analyses and in multivariate models adjusted for age, sex, race, and presence of thyroid eye disease as potential confounders. The total carotenoid content of the preaponeurotic fat of patients with ptosis was 59% lower than patients without ptosis (2.98 versus 7.26 absorbance/mg, p = 0.005). When adjustments were made for age, sex, race, and presence of thyroid eye disease, this difference was attenuated, but there was still a trend toward lower preaponeurotic fat carotenoid content among patients with ptosis (p = 0.09). The carotenoid content of the nasal fat was not significantly different among patients with and without ptosis (2.69 versus 3.40 absorbance/mg, p = 0.33). A lower ratio of preaponeurotic to nasal carotenoid content was demonstrated among patients with ptosis compared with patients without ptosis (1.4 versus 2.1; p = 0.06 unadjusted, p = 0.10 adjusted). Patients with involutional ptosis show trends toward having lower carotenoid content in preaponeurotic fat. Further investigation of the potential role of orbital fat carotenoids in the development of involutional ptosis is warranted.

Influence of organic versus conventional agricultural practice on the antioxidant microconstituent content of tomatoes and derived purees; consequences on antioxidant plasma status in humans.

The present study aims first to compare the antioxidant microconstituent contents between organically and conventionally grown tomatoes and, second, to evaluate whether the consumption of purees made of these tomatoes can differently affect the plasma levels of antioxidant microconstituents in humans. When results were expressed as fresh matter, organic tomatoes had higher vitamin C, carotenoids, and polyphenol contents (except for chlorogenic acid) than conventional tomatoes. When results were expressed as dry matter, no significant difference was found for lycopene and naringenin. In tomato purees, no difference in carotenoid content was found between the two modes of culture, whereas the concentrations of vitamin C and polyphenols remained higher in purees made out of organic tomatoes. For the nutritional intervention, no significant difference (after 3 weeks of consumption of 96 g/day of tomato puree) was found between the two purees with regard to their ability to affect the plasma levels of the two major antioxidants, vitamin C and lycopene.

β-Carotene and lutein in forage and bovine adipose tissue in two tropical regions of Mexico

Fresh pasture is rich in carotenoid pigments. Grazing cattle are likely to ingest substantial quantities of these pigments in their diet resulting in a yellow pigmentation of their adipose tissue. This is an undesirable characteristic in some countries such as Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and Mexico, and represents important economic losses for the producers. The objective of this study was to determine the carotenoid content of two forages ( Digitaria decumbens and Cynodon dactylon) and its relation to the pigmentation of the adipose tissue of adult grass-fed cattle (crossbreds of Zebu, Brown Swiss, Charolais and Brahman) in two tropical regions of Mexico. In the dry tropics (DT), the forages contained on average 5.2 mg/100 g of β-carotene and 6.4 mg/100 g of lutein, whereas in the humid tropics (HT) they contained 14.9 mg/100 g of β-carotene and 18.5 mg/100 g of lutein. No significant differences in carotenoid content were found between the two forages in either region. The concentration of β-carotene in the adipose tissue of cattle grazed in HT (34.7 μg/100 g) was higher than that for cattle in DT (12.3 μg/100 g). The content of β-carotene in female animals (42 μg/100 g) was greater than that in males (26 μg/100 g). No regional or sex differences were found for lutein concentration. We conclude that climatic conditions can affect the amounts of carotenoids in forages. Furthermore, the carotenoids in pasture are deposited in cattle adipose tissue at different extents depending on the tropical region.

Phytochemical profiles and antioxidant activity of wheat varieties.

Whole grain consumption has been associated with reduced risk of chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases and cancer. These beneficial effects have been attributed to the unique phytochemicals of grains that complement those found in fruits and vegetables. Wheat is one of the major grains in the human diet; however, little is known about the inherent varietal differences in phytochemical profiles, total phenolic and carotenoid contents, or total antioxidant activities of different wheat varieties, which ultimately influence the associated nutritional and health benefits of wheat and wheat products. The objectives of this study were to determine the phytochemical profiles and total antioxidant activity for 11 diverse wheat varieties and experimental lines. The profiles included free, soluble-conjugated, and insoluble-bound forms of total phenolics, flavonoids, and ferulic acids and carotenoid content including lutein, zeaxanthin, and beta-cryptoxanthin. The results showed that total phenolic content (709.8-860.0 micromol of gallic acid equiv/100 g of wheat), total antioxidant activity (37.6-46.4 micromol of vitamin C/g), and total flavonoid content (105.8-141.8 micromol of catechin equiv/100 g of wheat) did not vary greatly among the 11 wheat lines. However, significant differences in total ferulic acid content (p < 0.05) and carotenoid content (p < 0.05) among the varieties were observed, with carotenoid content exhibiting the greatest range of values. Carotenoid content among the 11 wheat varieties exhibited 5-fold, 3-fold, and 12-fold differences in lutein, zeaxanthin, and beta-cryptoxanthin, respectively. A synthetic wheat experimental line, W7985, gave the lowest carotenoid concentrations of any of the genotypes in this study. Such large genotypic differences in carotenoid content may open up new opportunities for breeding wheat varieties with higher nutritional value.

Lipid Oxidation and Carotenoids Content in Frying Oil and Fried Dough Containing Carrot Powder

ABSTRACT: Lipid oxidation and carotenoids in frying oil and carrot‐added dough during frying were studied. Flour dough containing carrot powder was sheeted at 0.1 cm thickness and was then cut to squares to be fried. Each frying was performed in 160°C soybean oil for 1 min and repeated every 20 min for 20 h. Carrot in the dough decreased significantly the oxidative stability of frying oil and fried dough (p &lt; 0.05). Carotenoid content in frying oil increased as frying was repeated due to dissolution of carotenoids from the dough containing carrot; however, there was no significant difference in carotenoid content among the dough fried in the oil with different number of fryings.

Analysis of carotenoid biosynthetic gene expression during marigold petal development.

Marigold (Tagetes erecta L.) flower petals synthesize and accumulate carotenoids at levels greater than 20 times that in leaves and provide an excellent model system to investigate the molecular biology and biochemistry of carotenoid biosynthesis in plants. In addition, marigold cultivars exist with flower colors ranging from white to dark orange due to >100-fold differences in carotenoid levels, and presumably similar changes in carbon flux through the pathway. To examine the expression of carotenoid genes in marigold petals, we have cloned the majority of the genes in this pathway and used these to assess their steady-state mRNA levels in four marigold cultivars with extreme differences in carotenoid content. We have also cloned genes encoding early steps in the biosynthesis of isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP), the precursor of all isoprenoids, including carotenoids, as well as two genes required for plastid division. Differences among the marigold varieties in the expression of these genes suggest that differences in mRNA transcription or stability underlie the vast differences in carotenoid synthesis and accumulation in the different marigold varieties.

The effect of dietary lipid level on variation of flesh pigmentation in rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Variation in flesh pigmentation was assessed in rainbow trout fed different dietary lipid levels. Triplicate groups of 80 rainbow trout with a mean initial wet weight of 54±1 g were fed on pigmented fish meal-based diets containing 8.2% (A), 17.7% (B) or 26.7% (C) crude fat for 25 weeks. All diets contained synthetic astaxanthin concentrations ranging from 43.7±0.9 μg/g to 49.7±0.8 μg/g. The chromaticity of the dorsal, belly and tail regions of the fillets was assessed every 40 days by Minolta Chroma Meter and the astaxanthin concentrations determined by high performance liquid chromatography. At each sampling, the tail regions within all treatments had significantly higher concentrations of astaxanthin and a * values, than the dorsal and belly fillet regions, although among treatments, there were no significant differences in carotenoid content. At each sampling, the coefficient of variation of fillet pigmentation between the different fillet areas was not significantly different within and among the dietary treatments. The flesh astaxanthin concentrations ranged from 0.23 μg/g in the fish at the start of the experiment to 13.1 μg/g in the tail region of fish fed diet A with final flesh astaxanthin retention coefficients ranging from 11.6% in fish fed diet A to 14.9% in fish fed diet C. Fillet lipid content ranged from 2.3% in the tail musculature of the initial trial fish, to 10.3% in the belly muscle of fish fed diet C. Significant negative correlations were found between fillet lipid content and astaxanthin concentration in fish fed diets A and B. Colorimetry measurements demonstrated large variations in fillet colour irrespective of dietary treatment. Tristimulus chromometer a * values ranged from 4.83 to 25.96, b * values from 7.23 to 31.33, L * values from 34.72 to 63.39, while chroma and hue values ranged from 8.47 to 39.89 and 34.12° to 72.33°, respectively. In all treatments, L * values were significantly correlated with flesh lipid content, however, only the a *, b * and chroma values of fish fed diet A were significantly correlated with flesh lipid content. Although the flesh deposition efficiency of astaxanthin increased with increasing dietary lipid level, this did not reduce the amount of variation in fillet pigmentation observed within and among treatments over the experimental period.

Inheritance and Biochemical Analysis of a Carrot Carotenoid Mutant

Pigments in orange carrot tissue, such alpha and beta carotene, are important vitamins in the human diet. Previously identified white or nonpigmented carrot roots, such as those from wild carrot and white derivatives of yellow or orange types, are dominant to the production of pigment, which is recessive. A nonpigmented carrot root was discovered during routine propagation of the inbred line W266 in 1992. Subsequent segregation analysis in the F2 and BC1 generations in three genetic backgrounds demonstrated the lack of pigmentation is due to a single recessive gene (reduced-pigment: rp). Total carotenoid content was reduced 92% in the roots of rprp genotypes compared to RPRP genotypes, however there were no differences in carotenoid content in leaves. Plants carrying rprp also exhibit white-speckled leaves during early stages of development, suggesting rp has an effect on leaf chlorophyll content. This character may prove useful in dissecting the complex inheritance of carotenoids in carrot.

Chilling-induced chlorosis in maize (Zea mays)

The effect of chilling temperatures on the porphyrin pathway leading to chlorophyll was studied in Seneca Chief hybrid sweet corn. One-week-old seedlings grown at 28 °C in a 14 h light: 10 h dark photoperiod synthesize negligible amounts of chlorophyll when exposed to 12 °C for a subsequent 6 d. When the chilled plant is then brought back to 28 °C, chlorophyll synthesis is restored to control levels. Little difference in carotenoid content was detected between chill-stressed and control tissue even after 4 d of stress. Small differences in the chlorophyll content per 106 chloroplasts could be detected between stressed and control seedlings. Etiolated seedlings synthesize negligible amounts of chlorophyll or its precursors when illuminated at 12 °C. Incubation of tissue with aminolevulinic acid at various temperatures from 12 to 22 °C resulted in an accumulation of precursors comparable to 28 °C control tissue. The ability of etiolated tissue to accumulate aminolevulinic acid was negligible when illuminated at 12 °C as compared with that in tissue illuminated at 28 °C.

Zawartość karotenoidów u ssaków. II. Karotenoidy niektórych mroczkowatych (Vespertilionidae) w aspekcie zmienności sezonowej

Autorzy stosując kolumnową i cienkowarstwową chromatografię badali występowanie i zawartość karotenoidów w skórze, mięśniach, wątrobie i jelitach u nocków: dużego, Natterera, Brandta i rudego oraz u mroczka późnego i gacka wielkoucha w aspekcie zmienności sezonowej, płciowej oraz w przypadku E. serotinus-wiekowej.

The function of carotenoids during chloroplast development. V. Correlation between carotenoid content, ultrastructure and chlorophyll b to chlorophyll a ratio

The ultrastructural effect of carotenoid deficiency in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was studied after adding the herbicide SAN‐9789 to the growth medium. The presence of SAN‐9789 (28 mg I‐1) resulted in an almost complete absence of carotenoids. For plants grown in darkness the lack of carotenoids was accompanied by a reduction in partitions between primary thylakoids as well as a change in appearance of the plastoglobuli from small and black (osmiophilic) to large and greyish white (less osmiophilic). When plants were grown in weak red light (16 mW m‐2), the presence of SAN‐9789 also resulted in an almost complete absence of grana, a decrease in the ratio of chlorophyll b/chlorophyll a from 0.25 to 0.1, and an almost complete absence of prolamellar bodies. The greatest differences in carotenoid content, in amount of grana, in chlorophyll b/chlorophyll a ratio, and in number of prolamellar bodies, all occurred between 0.28 and 2.8 mg I‐1 of SAN‐9789. The change in appearance of plastoglobuli occurred at a lower SAN‐9789 concentration, between 0.028 and 0.28 mg I‐1. The ultrastructural responses to the SAN‐9789 treatment could be related to the effect on the carotenoid synthesis in different ways. The disappearance of thylakoid partitions was connected to a structural role of carotenoids, while the disappearance of the prolamellar bodies was dependent on the photoprotective role of carotenoids. The change in shape and size of plastoglobuli was not correlated to the presence of carotenoids. However, a connection to the accumulation of the carotenoid precursors is still possible.

東京湾産シャコの脂質組成について

Recently, abnormally colored squillae, Squilla oratoria, the body color of which are yel-lowish gray instead of purplish brown, are found frequently among the catches in Tokyo Bay. The cause of discoloration seems to be ascribed to the environmental sea water which has been polluted strongly by coastal industries. Some chemical natures and composition of lipid of the discolored squillae were compared with those of normal squillae, and the following results were obtained: 1. Any difference in the lipid content, refractive index of the lipid, and neutralization value of fatty acids could not be observed between the two samples. The lipid of the dis-colored sample, however, showed higher saponification and iodine values and lower content of unsaponifiable matters as compared to those of normal one. 2. Fatty acids in discolored sample contained less amount of C12:0, C14:1, C22:5 and more C18:4(?), C20:2(?), C34:2 fatty acid than the normal, although a further confirmation seems to be necessary. 3. No significant difference in carotenoid content was observed between the tow samples. 4. Lipid in discolored sample contained far less cholesterol than the normal. As regards the content of 7- dehydrocholesterol, however, no significant difference was found between the two samples.

Relationship between Chlorophyll and Carotenoid Biosynthesis in Dirty-Red (Green-Flesh) Mutant in Tomato

In a tomato mutant, dirty red, both chlorophylls and carotenoids are present in the ripe fruit resulting in a dirty-red flesh color. Since it had been proposed that the phytol chain of the chlorophyll molecule may be utilized as a precursor for carotenoid during maturation, the dirty-red mutant was studied to determine the effect of chlorophyll retention on carotenoid synthesis. An inheritance study revealed that dirty red is controlled by a single recessive gene and is synonymous or allelic to the green-flesh mutant (gf). Analyses of chlorophylls a and b indicated that the action of the dirty-red gene becomes evident as the ripening process commences. The chlorophyll contents of the parental strains (Rutgers and dirty red) and the F2 red and dirty-red recombinants were almost equal at the immature green stage. Upon ripening, the dirtyred fruits contained some chlorophyll, while none was detected in the normal red fruits. The chlorophyllase activities of the red and dirty-red F2 progenies were determined. At the green stage, both segregates showed almost equal enzyme activities, indicating that, at this early stage, there was no loss or impairment of enzyme activity in the dirty-red plants. At incipient color, the dirty-red segregates showed higher chlorophyllase activity than the red F2 progeny. No enzyme activity was detected in the ripe fruits of red segregates, while the dirty-red recombinants exhibited slight chlorophyllase activity. Tests indicated that chlorophyllase from either normal or dirty-red plants could degrade chlorophyll from either source. These results suggest that impaired degradation by this enzyme is not responsible for the chlorophyll content of the ripe dirty-red fruits. The dirty-red gene also influences carotenoid synthesis and accumulation, and a relationship between the two pigment systems was demonstrated. The p3-carotene, y-carotene, lycopene, phytofluene, and phytoene contents were determined. Where the dirty-red factor was homozygous, chlorophyll was present in the ripe fruits, and the carotenoid content was lower than in normal red sibs. The differences in carotenoid contents between the two types were highly significant in the F2 recombinant classes.

Selection of carrots for carotene content

1. For breeding purposes and variety trials a study has been made of how to get representative values of the carotene content of carrots. For the estimation of the carotene content the simplified procedure of V. H. Booth was used, in which the content of total carotenoids is determined. 2. Calculation of the carotenoid content on a dry-weight basis gives more representative values than that on a fresh-weight basis. Differences in carotenoid content, when calculated on a fresh-weight basis, may partly or wholly be the result of the selection of a dryer type of carrot, or they may be influenced by those growth conditions which modify the moisture content of the root. 3. There is general agreement that the carotenoid content of normally growing carrots increases with their development till a maximum is reached. After this the carrot may grow larger without a further increase in carotenoid content. However, since the maximum carotenoid content may vary with season and locality, it is in itself not a representative character. The degree of development of the root must also be taken into account. 4. From the evidence produced it is concluded that the best representative values of carotenoid content are obtained, when: