Highest Amount Of Carotenoids Research Articles

Both external and internal factors induce heterogeneity in senescing leaves of deciduous trees

Autumn senescence is characterised by spatial and temporal heterogeneity. We show that senescing birch (Betula spp.) leaves had lower PSII activity (probed by the FV/FM chlorophyll a fluorescence parameter) in late autumn than in early autumn. We confirmed that PSII repair slows down with decreasing temperature, while rates of photodamage and recovery, measured under laboratory conditions at 20°C, were similar in these leaves. We propose that low temperatures during late autumn hinder repair and lead to accumulation of non-functional PSII units in senescing leaves. Fluorescence imaging of birch revealed that chlorophyll preferentially disappeared from inter-veinal leaf areas. These areas showed no recovery capacity and low non-photochemical quenching while green veinal areas of senescing leaves resembled green leaves. However, green and yellow leaf areas showed similar values of photochemical quenching. Analyses of thylakoids isolated from maple (Acer platanoides) leaves showed that red, senescing leaves contained high amounts of carotenoids and α-tocopherol, and our calculations suggest that α-tocopherol was synthesised during autumn. Thylakoids isolated from red maple leaves produced little singlet oxygen, probably due to the high antioxidant content. However, the rate of PSII photodamage did not decrease. The data show that the heterogeneity of senescing leaves must be taken into account to fully understand autumn senescence.

Microbial Diversity and Bioactive Compounds in Dried Lycium barbarum Fruits (Goji): A Comparative Study.

This study compares the microbial diversity and content of bioactive compounds in dried goji berries available on the Polish market to those of the most highly valued goji berries from the Ningxia region in China. The content of phenols, flavonoids, and carotenoids were determined, as well as the antioxidant capacities of the fruits. The quantitative and qualitative composition of the microbiota inhabiting the fruits was assessed using metagenomics by high-throughput sequencing on the Illumina platform. The highest quality was demonstrated by naturally dried fruits from the Ningxia region. These berries were characterized by a high content of polyphenols and high antioxidant activity, as well as high microbial quality. The lowest antioxidant capacity was shown by goji berries cultivated in Poland. However, they contained a high amount of carotenoids. The highest microbial contamination was found in the goji berries available in Poland (>106 CFU/g), which is important in terms of consumer safety. Despite the widely accepted benefits of consuming goji berries, both the country of cultivation and the preservation method may influence their composition, bioactivity, and microbial quality.

Green Technologies for Persimmon By-Products Revalorisation as Sustainable Sources of Dietary Fibre and Antioxidants for Functional Beverages Development.

The use of green technologies such as ultrasound and natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) for revalorisation of food and agricultural by-products represents a sustainable way to tackle waste and promote a healthier environment while delivering much-needed functional food ingredients for an increasingly unhealthy population. The processing of persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thunb.) generates large amounts of by-products rich in fibre-bound bioactive phytochemicals. This paper assessed the extractability of bioactive compounds through NADES and the functional properties of the persimmon polysaccharide-rich by-products to evaluate their suitability to be used as functional ingredients in commercial beverages. Although higher amounts of carotenoids and polyphenols were extracted after eutectic treatment vs. conventional extraction (p < 0.05), the fibre-bound bioactives remained abundant (p < 0.001) in the resulting persimmon pulp by-product (PPBP) and persimmon pulp dietary fibre (PPDF), showing also a strong antioxidant activity (DPPH•, ABTS•+ assays) and an improved digestibility and fibre fermentability. The main structural components of PPBP and PPDF are cellulose, hemicellulose and pectin. PPDF-added dairy-based drink showed more than 50% of preference over the control among panellists and similar acceptability scores to the commercial ones. Persimmon pulp by-products represent sustainable source of dietary fibre and bioactives and are suitable candidates to develop functional ingredients for food industry applications.

Comparative Characteristics of Genes 9-Cis-Epoxycarotinoid-Dioxygenase SlNCED1 and SlNCED2 during the Development

Tomato Solanum lycopersicum L. is an important agricultural crop and, at the same time, a model for studying the ontogeny of the succulent fruit. The decisive role in the ripening of the fruit is played by abscisic acid, which is formed as a result of the oxidative cleavage of epoxycarotenoids 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenases NCED. Gene-expression profiles of SlNCED1 and SlNCED2 and the content of carotenoids in fruits at different stages of development were determined in three varieties of tomato with different color of ripe fruit. It was shown that transcripts of both genes are present in all organs. Transcript level of SlNCED1 was approximately four to six times higher than the level of SlNCED2 transcripts; peak activity of SlNCED1 occurs in the late stages of ripening, while that of SlNCED2 is at the initial stage. Ripe fruits are characterized by the highest amount of carotenoids; lycopene was found only in the fruits of late stages in red-fruited varieties, the highest content of -carotene was found in ripe fruits of the yellow-fruited variety. The precursor of abscisic acid, violaxanthin, is present only in the immature fruit; the other precursor, neoxanthin, decreases with ripening and is absent at the ripeness stage. In red-fruited varieties, a correlation was found between the level of SlNCED1 and SlNCED2 transcripts with the content of -carotene. Findings suggest the coparticipation of SlNCED1 and SlNCED2 in the biosynthesis of abscisic acid during the development and ripening of tomato fruit. In this case, the key role belongs to the gene SlNCED1, the peak of activity of which falls on the stage of changing the color of the fruit. Lower levels of SINCED2 transcripts and its peak activity in the early stages of fruit development suggests a division of NCED functions between the two enzymes.

EXTRACTION TIME INFLUENCE ON THE PHENOLIC AND CAROTENOID LEVEL, AND THE DYNAMICS OF ANTIOXIDANT ACTION OF CHOKEBERRY DRY RESIDUE

This study aimed to analyze the extraction time influences on some phenolics and carotenoids determined in the chokeberry dehydrated residue. In addition, the dynamics of the DPPH· radical reduction under the influence of the different amounts of chokeberry extract and reaction time were registered. For this purpose, fruits belonging to the ’Melrom’ and ’Nero’ cultivars grown in the experimental plots of the Research Institute for Fruit Growing Maracineni-Arges were harvested at full maturity, in the middle of August 2021 and pressed for juice extraction. The resulting pomace was subjected to convective dehydration at 45ºC. Values of 12286.11-16560.88 mg GAE/100g DW for TPC, 6567.96-9428.90 mg GAE/100 g DW for TTC, and 3293.74-5109.63 mg CE/100 g DW for TFC were registered. Lycopene and -carotene ranged between 0.78-1.43 mg/100 g DW and 0.21-0.37 mg/100 g DW. Longer ultrasound treatment led to higher TPC and TFC, while TTC decreased after 60 minutes. Raising the extraction time by at least 24 hours resulted in higher amounts of carotenoids. The lowest remanent radical activity (A=20.55%) was determined for the 50 and 60 µL extract doses. In this case, A% was minimal after 20 minutes of the DPPH reduction reaction (12.62-12.94 %), but not significantly different compared to the values determined after the first 8 minutes of the reaction (17.59-19.11 %).

COMPARATIVE QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF SOME CLASSES OF BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS IN SOME COFFEE SORTIMENTS AVAILABLE ON THE ROMANIAN MARKET

Five import coffee sortiments (Brazil &amp; Vietnam mix, Cuba Serrano Lavado, Kenya AA, Panama Boquete SHB, Peru Perhusa HB) available on the local market were studied for determining the concentrations of, carotenoid, total phenolic and polyphenolic compounds, flavonoids and oil contents in ground roasted coffee and pH of the resulting infusions.Among the five coffee sortiments, Kenya AA and Cuba Serrano Lavado had the highest amount of carotenoids (288, respectively 259 mg/kg).Total phenolic compounds had the highest concentrations in Cuba Serrano Lavado (15,274 mg/kg), followed by Kenya AA and Peru HB, with over 14,000 mg/kg. Of these, flavonoids constituted only a small fraction, with the maximum value in Peru HB (1,374 mg/kg). Total oil concentrations were highly variable, with a maximum in Panama SHB (98,400 mg/kg) and minimum in Kenya AA (26,400 mg/kg).pH values were similar, acidic, for all coffees, ranging between 4.28-4.75.

Light-induced damage to photosystem II at a very low temperature (195 K) depends on singlet oxygen.

Photosynthetic organisms, like evergreen plants, may encounter strong light at low temperatures. Light, despite being the energy source of photosynthesis, irreversibly damages photosystem II (PSII). We illuminated plant thylakoid membranes and intact cyanobacterial cells at -78.5°C and assayed PSII activity with oxygen evolution or chlorophyll fluorescence, after thawing the sample. Both UV radiation and visible light damaged PSII of pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima) thylakoids at -78.5°C, but visible-light-induced photoinhibition at -78.5°C, unlike at +20°C, proceeded only in the presence of oxygen. A strong magnetic field that would decrease triplet chlorophyll formation by recombination of the primary radical pair slowed down photoinhibition at -78.5°C, suggesting that singlet oxygen produced via recombination of the primary pair is a major contributor to photoinhibition at -78.5°C. However, a magnetic field did not affect singlet oxygen production at +25°C. Thylakoids of winter leaves of an evergreen plant, Bergenia, were less susceptible to photoinhibition both at -78.5°C and +20°C, contained high amounts of carotenoids and produced little singlet oxygen (measured at +20°C), compared to thylakoids of summer leaves. In contrast, high carotenoid amount and low singlet oxygen yield did not protect a Synechocystis mutant from photoinhibition at -78.5°C. Thylakoids isolated from Arabidopsis thaliana grown under high light, which reduces PSII antenna size, were more resistant than control plants against photoinhibition at -78.5°C but not at +20°C, although carotenoid amounts were similar. The results indicate that visible-light-induced photoinhibition at -78.5°C depends on singlet oxygen, whereas photoinhibition at +20°C is largely independent of oxygen.

Influence of olive mill waste phenolic compounds levels on carotenoid production by Rhodotorula spp.

Olive oil production using the two-phase extraction system generates large amounts of biomass named alperujo, which has high percentage of water, slightly acidic pH, and high concentration of salts, organic matter, and phenolic compounds. Due to the presence of these components, alperujo is a significant source of environmental pollution, hindering the disposal of this waste. Nevertheless, some phenolic compounds such as tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol, have high nutraceutical and antioxidant power and could have potential applications in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. This work aimed to evaluate the ability of different alperujo-derived media, with different levels of phenolic compounds, to sustain the growth and carotenoid production by yeasts from Rhodotorula genera (R. mucilaginosa LPSC 638, R. glutinis Y54, and R. graminis Y52), as well as to prospect the biotechnological production of carotenoids in these media. The yeasts grew and produced carotenoids in all media, although growth was better in dephenolized media. The highest amount of carotenoids (43.0 ± 3.1 mg/g dry yeast) was obtained with R. glutinis Y54 grown in a thermally treated and dephenolized medium. Our study represents a novel approach to valorize alperujo with a dual benefit, the recovery of valuable compounds, i. e. phenolic compounds, and the bioproduction of new ones, i.e. carotenoids.

Realizing the Potential of Neglected and Underutilized Bananas in Improving Diets for Nutrition and Health Outcomes in the Pacific Islands

Pacific Island countries are undergoing rapid food system transformation. This has led to a deterioration in diet quality with decreased consumption of traditional, fresh foods, and increasing consumption of imported, ultra-processed foods. Consequently, the triple burden of malnutrition is a now a major issue in the region. It is estimated that Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is widespread, particularly in Kiribati, Vanuatu, and Solomon Islands. Rates of overweight, obesity, and diet-related non-communicable disease (DR-NCD) are high. Increasing consumption of local, traditional fruits and vegetables, particularly those that have high nutritional value like Pacific Island bananas, could play an important role in improving diets and health outcomes of Pacific Islander populations. Many of the banana cultivars found in the Pacific Islands region are high in carotenoids, an important precursor to Vitamin A. Fe'i bananas, such as Utin Iap, have been shown to contain much higher amounts of carotenoids than that of the commonly consumed Cavendish banana. As a traditional, starchy staple food, bananas are a good source of carbohydrate, including resistant starch, with small amounts of protein and little fat. These characteristics also lend themselves to being part of a healthy diet. The promotion of neglected and underutilized banana cultivars in the Pacific region provides a food-based and low-cost solution that simultaneously supports healthy diets and good nutrition, local farming systems and livelihood opportunities. However, to realize this potential, more work is required to understand the availability of nutrient rich banana in the region, current consumption patterns and drivers of consumption.

Extraction of Lipophilic Antioxidants from Native Tomato Using Green Technologies.

SUMMARYResearch backgroundTomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) fruit is highly consumed worldwide and contains high amounts of carotenoids and tocopherols, two powerful antioxidants. Native tomato genotypes are rarely used in large-scale market but serve as a reservoir to diversify the species gene pool and can be employed to obtain functional compounds. Extraction methods are currently changing towards cleaner procedures that are more efficient and environmentally friendly, including avoiding toxic or polluting solvents.Experimental approachIn this study, factorial and fractional factorial designs were used to evaluate the efficiency of digestive enzymes, sonication and green solvents to obtain lipophilic antioxidant extracts from native tomato. To monitor the efficiency of the extraction process, spectrophotometric quantification of total carotenoids and antioxidant activity was carried out, and then individual quantification of carotenoids and tocopherols in the extracts was done by HPLC.Results and conclusionsDigestive enzymes and sonication increased the carotenoid content and the antioxidant activity of the obtained extracts when applied individually. However, when these treatments were applied together and in combination with isopropyl acetate, a green solvent, the obtained extracts had the highest carotenoid and tocopherol contents as well as the maximal antioxidant activity. A correlation analysis suggested that antioxidant activity resulted from synergistic effects rather than individual compounds. Tomato extracts were obtained through a rapid and environmentally friendly extraction method and their antioxidant activity was enhanced.Novelty and scientific contributionTomato fruits have been the subject of numerous studies; however, functional compound extraction through environmentally friendly methods remains an attractive use of native tomato fruit, enhancing its limited production and harnessing a large amount of tomato product industry. There are few reports where environmentally friendly extraction methods are combined; even rarer are those where green solvents are also used. In this work, the combination of different environmentally friendly extraction methods improved the extraction of carotenoids and tocopherols and allowed to establish a more efficient process. These results could stimulate the use of clean technologies and make the native tomato more attractive for industrial or compound extraction processes.

Optimization of Mild Extraction Methods for the Efficient Recovery of Astaxanthin, a Strong Food Antioxidant Carotenoid from Microalgae

Microalgae represent an important source of bioactive compounds for food applications. In this study, multifunctional extracts from Haematococcus pluvialis (H. Pluvialis) microalga have been developed in order to be used as food additives. Total extracts were recovered by ultrasound assisted extraction using eco-friendly and food grade solvents. Five different ratios ranging from 1/100 to 1/5 g biomass/ mL solvent were studied in different ultrasound intensities in order to optimise the extraction of carotenoids, especially of astaxanthin. The produced extracts were analysed using High Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC-DAD) and UV-Vis spectroscopy techniques. Acetone was the most efficient solvent for the extraction of carotenoids in all tested ratios. However, D-limonene and medium chain triglycerides extracts also gave a satisfying recovery of carotenoids. D-limonene was the preferred solvent since extracts with high amounts of carotenoids were recovered, permitting their direct use in food products and avoiding further condensation steps.

The variability of carotenoid pigments and fatty acids produced by some yeasts within Sporidiobolales and Cystofilobasidiales

Carotenoids, ergosterol and fatty acids are valuable compounds used in many industrial applications. The conventional sources of these compounds depend on weather conditions, season, geographical location and availability of agricultural land. Therefore, it is important to search for alternative sources and increase its availability for constantly increasing demand. Production of aforementioned compounds exploiting carotenogenic yeasts is promising due to their extraordinary capability to simultaneously produce carotenoids, ergosterol and fatty acids. The present study aimed to characterise the production properties of some lesser known carotenogenic yeasts, especially members of the orders Sporidiobolales and Cystofilobasidiales. The best fatty acid producing strains were S. metaroseus CCY 19-6-20 and C. macerans CCY 10-01-02, producing 4.9 g l−1 (42% of cell dry weight—CDW) and 4 g l−1 of medium (36% of CDW), respectively. The largest amounts of carotenoids, in the range 0.8–2.1 mg g−1 of CDW, were produced by strains R. mucilaginosa CCY 19-04-06, R. toruloides CCY 62-02-04, S. pararoseus CCY 19-09-06, S. metaroseus CCY 19-6-20, C. macerans CCY 10-01-02 and C. infirmominiatum CCY 1718-04. Surprisingly, R. mucilaginosa CCY 19-04-06 produced the highest amounts of carotenoids wherein lycopene represented more than 80% of total carotenoids.

Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor: A Process Design for Interesterification of Macauba (Acrocomia aculeata) palm oil

Other than the edible oils extracted from the Acrocomia aculeata fruit, there is a growing interest in the palm to generate other high value-added products. Relatively high amounts of carotenoids (up to 378 mg kg-1) have been found in the esculent oils mechanically obtained from the fruit mesocarp. From industrial application perspectives, several processes have been proposed to modify native vegetable oils to yield high functional properties of structured lipids. For interesterified products, the thermal effects of industrial reactors are crucial in reaction mechanisms. The present study has taken into account previously estimated kinetic parameters for the overall disappearances of all-trans β-carotene in the Acrocomia aculeata oil (ko= 2.6 x 10-4 min-1; Ea = 105.0003 kJ mol-1; ΔH = 9.8 x 104 J kg-1) to develop a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) kinetic treatment that obeys first-order kinetics. A system of ordinary dierential equations - mass and energy balances - was solved by the 4th order Runge-Kutta method (GNU Octave software). Under research conditions related to interesterification processing (2 h; 393.15 K), the initial concentration of carotenoids (around 11%) showed no significant decrease. Overall, realistic processing effects and conditions have been assessed, integrating results and knowledge, improving prospects of Acrocomia aculeata as a promising source of high-quality raw material, for producing functional ingredients and food with nutraceutical properties.

Application of spray drying for production of microparticles containing the carotenoid-rich tucumã oil (Astrocaryum vulgare Mart.)

Tucumã oil contains high amounts of carotenoids, which present provitamin A and antioxidant properties, but its application in food products may be difficult due to hydrophobicity and susceptibility to degradation. The aim of this work was to produce tucumã oil powders by spray drying and to evaluate their physicochemical properties, storage stability and in vitro digestion. Different oil proportions (100, 200 and 300 g/kg) and drying temperatures (120 and 180 °C) were evaluated. Oxidative stability of oil and powders was evaluated by Rancimat at 120 °C, while carotenoid retention was determined during 125 days at 25 °C. Particles dried at 120 °C presented higher carotenoid contents (52.9–162.1 mg/kg) than that produced at 180 °C (43.7–130.6 mg/kg) and were chosen for further analysis. Encapsulation increased the oxidative stability (up to 177-fold) of oil under high temperature, besides allowing high carotenoid retention (73–85%) after storage, great dispersibility of oil in water (93.8–98.1%) and the controlled release of carotenoids during digestion steps, with an overall liberation of 64%. One may conclude that tucumã oil powders have potential to be incorporated into processed foods as a functional ingredient.

Comparative Study of Phytochemical Contents of Various Mango (Mangifera indica L.) Cultivars of Bihar

Mangoes are naturally very rich subtropical fruit with unique flavor, fragrance, taste and health promoting compounds like phytochemicals which consists of carotenoids, phenolic, alkaloids, nitrogen containing compounds and organo sulphur. Out of which carotenoids and phenolic are most important healthy ingredients. The different cultivars popularly available in Bihar are – Amrapali, Maldah, Jardalu and Sinduri. Amrapali and Maldah cultivars are very popular in North Bihar as well as Central Bihar while Jardalu is famous particularly in Bhagalpur (Vikramshila region). Sinduri cultivar of mango is common in South Bihar. All the four cultivars of mango were collected and investigated for carotenoids, phenolics, reducing sugar and other parameters in the peels and pulps of green mature (GM) stage and fully ripe (FR) stages of all the cultivars. Carotenoids contents and phenolic contents in all the four cultivars of mangoes were analyzed by solvent extraction method followed by spectrophotometric method. Among the different mango cultivars Amrapali contains the highest amount of carotenoids which is about 27 mg/100g followed by Maldah containing about 22.34 mg/100g. Jardalu and Sinduri cultivars contains 20.45 mg/100g and 21.67 mg/100g respectively. With respect to total phenolic again Amrapali cultivar is found to be the richest with 78mg GAE/100g in its peel. Maldah and Jardalu have almost the same content of phenolics with 40; 44 mg GAE/100 g and 300; 305.49 mg GAE/100g of their pulp and peels respectively. The Sinduri cultivar has been found to possess the lowest content of total phenolics with 30.29 mg GAE/100 g and 269.85 mg GAE/100 g of its pulp and peels respectively. For all the cultivars peels were found with greater contents of phenolics than that of pulp but for Amrapali and Maldah the carotenoids content were found less in their peels than their pulp, but for the rest two varieties the carotenoids content is slightly greater in peels than pulp.

Photosynthetic Pigments Changes of Three Phenotypes of Picocyanobacteria Synechococcus sp. under Different Light and Temperature Conditions

It is estimated that the genus Synechococcus is responsible for about 17% of net primary production in the Global Ocean. Blooms of these organisms are observed in tropical, subtropical and even temperate zones, and they have been recorded recently even beyond the polar circle. The long-term scenarios forecast a growing expansion of Synechococcus sp. and its area of dominance. This is, among others, due to their high physiological plasticity in relation to changing environmental conditions. Three phenotypes of the genus Synechococcus sp. (Type 1, Type 2, and Type 3a) were tested in controlled laboratory conditions in order to identify their response to various irradiance (10, 55, 100 and 145 µmol photons m−2 s−1) and temperature (15, 22.5 and 30 °C) conditions. The highest total pigment content per cell was recorded at 10 μmol photons m−2 s−1 at all temperature variants with the clear dominance of phycobilins among all the pigments. In almost every variant the highest growth rate was recorded for the Type 1. The lowest growth rates were observed, in general, for the Type 3a. However, it was recognized to be less temperature sensitive in comparison to the other two types and rather light-driven with the highest plasticity and adaptation potential. The highest amounts of carotenoids were produced by Type 2 which also showed signs of the cell stress even around 55 μmol photons m−2 s−1 at 15 °C and 22.5 °C. This may imply that the Type 2 is the most susceptible to higher irradiances. Picocyanobacteria Synechococcus sp. require less light intensity to achieve the maximum rate of photosynthesis than larger algae. They also tolerate a wide range of temperatures which combined together make them gain a powerful competitive advantage. Our results will provide key information for the ecohydrodynamical model development. Thus, this work would be an important link in forecasting future changes in the occurrence of these organisms in the context of global warming.

Production of refined red palm-pressed fibre oil from physical refining pilot plant

Palm-pressed fiber oil (PPFO) is unique as it contains higher amount of carotenoids, vitamin E (tocotrienols & tocopherols) and other phytonutrients (squalene and sterols) as compared to crude palm oil (CPO). However, crude PPFO has high phosphorus content and free fatty acid (FFA) and at the same time low in deterioration of bleachability index (DOBI) that requires specific refining steps for achieving a good quality oil properties. The physical refining pilot plant scale was developed, involved a combination of step including wet and acid degumming and bleaching followed by high vacuum deacidification. The optimum refining conditions comprises wet degumming using 5.0 ​wt/wt% of distilled water at 90 ​°C for 20 ​min, acid degumming using 0.5 ​wt% of phosphoric acid at 90 ​°C for 10 ​min, bleaching using 1.0 ​wt% of natural bleaching earth at 105 ​°C for 20 ​min, and deacidification at 160 ​°C and 0.001 ​mmHg. A significant reduction of phosphorus content of 97% (from 633 ​± ​83 ​ppm to 11 ​± ​2 ​ppm) and FFA of 91% (from 5.30 ​± ​0.19% to 0.35 ​± ​0.09%) were achieved in the pilot scale study. The DOBI value of refined red PPFO improved from 2.02 ​± ​0.18 to 2.68 ​± ​0.04. Besides, the carotenoids (986 ​± ​55 ​ppm) and vitamin E (1075 ​± ​64 ​ppm) in refined red PPFO were preserved by applying the mild temperature of deacidification. The pilot scale results establish a significant contribution to the feasibility of the refined red palm-pressed oil.

Simultaneous determination of carotenoids, tocopherols and phylloquinone in 12 Brassicaceae vegetables

At present, analysis of carotenoids, tocopherols and phylloquinone in vegetables are performed independently, suggesting a need for an effective analytical method to determine these lipophilic micronutrients simultaneously and accurately. A LC-APCI-MS/MS analytical method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of seven carotenoids, two tocopherols and phylloquinone in 12 Brassicaceae vegetables. The analytical run time was 35 min, with the full separation of lutein and zeaxanthin, using LCMS-friendly mobile phases comprising methanol and isopropanol mixtures. Limits of detection and quantification were 0.10–21.5 μg/g dry weight (DW) and 1.10–47.6 μg/g DW respectively. Intra-day and inter-day repeatability were less than 20% relative standard deviation (RSD), and recoveries were 89–128%. Data indicated that lutein and α-tocopherol were the predominant carotenoid and tocopherol in green leafy vegetables. Highest amounts of carotenoids, tocopherols and phylloquinone were found in rocket salad (1061 ± 11 μg/g DW), broccoli (286 ± 85 μg/g DW) and watercress (55 ± 4 μg/g DW), respectively. Our findings suggest that these vegetables are excellent sources of lipophilic micronutrients. Overall, this analytical method is ideal for the accurate and rapid determination of carotenoids, tocopherols and phylloquinone in vegetables. (192 words).

Candied pumpkins – a delicacy with functional properties

Pumpkin vegetables have many functional properties. However, deep processing really supports the lost vitamins and degradation results of phytonutrients. Candied pumpkins suggest minimum processing of a primary produce and represent useful alternative to other types of confectionery. The aim of the work was to improve the technology of production of candied pumpkins with balanced flavor characteristics and higher content of carotenoids. Two types and cultivars of pumpkins were used for production of candied fruit: Muscat De Provence (Cucurbita moschata Duch) and Zhdana (Cucurbita maxima Duch). Candied fruits were made according to a traditional recipe and enriched with flavoring components. Orange and cinnamon which stand out for their valuable chemical composition were also used for improvement of flavor characteristics of the produce. The process flow included the following operations: preparing and chopping pumpkins into pieces; mixing with sugar with simultaneous addition of enriched flavor components; soaking for 8…10 hours; separating the resulted syrup; heating the syrup (t=102±1°С); pouring the hot syrup onto the pieces of pumpkins; cooling (t =35±5°С); separating the syrup; repeated heating and pouring the hot syrup onto the pieces of pumpkins; cooling and separating the syrup; drying the candied fruit (t=45±5°С); adding powdered sugar. In the process of the research with conventional methods the authors determined the general dry solids content, the content of dry soluble substance, pectin substance and sugars, titrated acidity, the content of carotenoids and ascorbic acid. The pumpkin cultivar Muscat De Provence was at a considerable disadvantage with the Zhdana cultivar in the quantity of dry solids and dry soluble substance, though it was remarkable with high content of carotenoids, which is important for the functional purpose of the produce. It is established that the applied technology of making pumpkin candied fruits allows obtaining a high quality product with balanced taste and aromatic characteristics with a high amount of carotenoids and ascorbic acid. The content of dry substance in the finished candied fruit was at 80.02...83.96%. The derived product, depending on a pumpkin cultivar and a recipe, contained from 8.05 to 16.55 mg/100 g carotenoids and up to 10.47...14.86 mg/100 g ascorbic acid.

β-Carotene-enriched Artemia as a natural carotenoid improved skin pigmentation and enhanced the mucus immune responses of platyfish Xiphophorus maculatus

The present study investigated the effects of enriched Artemia franciscana with β-carotene of Dunaliella salina on color, skin carotenoid, and mucosal immune responses of platyfish, Xiphophorus maculatus. To this end, one hundred and eighty platyfish with an initial weight of 0.9 ± 0.03 g were randomly assigned into four groups in triple and were daily fed on three times. The first and second groups were fed with commercial food (control) and unenriched A. franciscana (Un-EA), respectively. In addition, the third and fourth groups were fed with enriched A. franciscana with castor oil (oil-EA) and enriched A. franciscana with β-carotene (β-carotene EA) for 8 weeks, respectively. Based on results, the highest amount of carotenoids (112.4 ± 22.79 μg g−1) was significantly observed in the group fed with β-carotene EA while the lowest amount (24.31 ± 2.36 μg g−1) was found in the group fed Un-EA. As regards lysozyme, total immunoglobulin, and alkaline phosphatase activity of the mucus, the highest amounts were detected in fish with β-carotene EA as 84.5 ± 19.09 mg dL−1, 6.4 ± 0.41 mg dL−1, and 477 ± 39.59 U L−1, respectively. Based on skin colorization results, the group fed with β-carotene EA had no significant difference regarding the transparency, yellow color, and opacity, while a* index significantly increased in this group in comparison with the control group. However, the Hue index significantly decreased in the β-carotene EA group compared with the control group. In conclusion, A. franciscana enriched with β-carotene of D. salina enhanced the mucosal immune responses and improved the skin carotenoids as well as a* index in platyfish X. maculatus.