Higher Concentrations Of Lutein Research Articles

Response to photoxidative stress induced by cold in japonica rice is genotype dependent

Two japonica rice genotypes, INIA Tacuarí and L2825CA, were analyzed for tolerance to low temperature during early vegetative growth. Effect on photosynthesis, energy dissipation, pigment content, xanthophyll-cycle pool conversion, hydrogen peroxide accumulation, oxidative damage and antioxidant enzyme activities were determined to better understand potential mechanisms for cold tolerance. Photoinhibition was measured using chlorophyll fluorescence and oxidative damage by lipid peroxidation and electrolyte leakage. Both genotypes were demonstrated to be cold tolerant which was consistent with their reduced levels of photoinhibition and oxidative damage compared with a cold-sensitive genotype during chilling stress. The strategy for cold tolerance differed between the two genotypes, and involved different mechanisms for disposal of excess energy. The presence of high lutein concentrations and the existence of active non-harmful energy dissipation processes through the xanthophyll cycle appeared to be responsible for chilling tolerance in INIA Tacuarí. On the other hand, increased cold tolerance of L2825CA relative to INIA Tacuarí was related to the higher constitutive superoxide dismutase (SOD, EC 1.15.1.1), ascorbate peroxidase (APX, EC 1.11.1.11) and catalase (CAT, EC 1.11.1.6).

Ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) quantification of carotenoids in durum wheat: Influence of genotype and environment in relation to the colour of yellow alkaline noodles (YAN)

Carotenoids are the main compounds responsible for the yellow colour of durum wheat semolina and flours. However, the concentration of carotenoids in wheats depends on genotype and growing environments. The total pigment and carotenoid concentration of four durum wheat varieties (AC Avonlea, Commander, AC Navigator and Strongfield) and two common wheat varieties (AC Barrie and AC Snowbird), which were grown in different locations in Saskatchewan, Canada (Taber, Regina and Swift Current), were determined using the AACC International approved method and ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC). A fast (within 6 min) and sensitive method for separation of carotenoids extracted from durum wheat flours was developed using UPLC. The results show that Commander and AC Navigator varieties exhibited higher total pigments and lutein concentration than the other wheats. Wheat grown in Taber and Swift Current regions had higher total pigments and lutein concentration than those grown at Regina. Although carotenoids in wheat extracts possessed antioxidant properties there was no significant correlation between antioxidant capacity and the concentration of carotenoids in the extracts ( r 2 = 0.13). The carotenoid extracts from AC Barrie exhibited the highest DPPH radical scavenging, while AC Avonlea showed the lowest. The concentration of extracted lutein highly correlated ( r 2 = 0.93) with the yellowness, b * value, of the yellow alkaline noodles, whereas the correlation between lutein concentration and noodle redness, a *, or brightness, L *, values were not as strong ( r 2 = 0.75 or 0.58, respectively). Thus, the high concentration of lutein in the durum wheats contributes to the desirable greater yellowness of yellow alkaline noodle, an important key to making a healthy yellow alkaline noodle without artificial yellow agent.

Productivity and selective accumulation of carotenoids of the novel extremophile microalga Chlamydomonas acidophila grown with different carbon sources in batch systems

Cultivation of extremophile microorganisms has attracted interest due to their ability to accumulate high-value compounds. Chlamydomonas acidophila is an acidophile green microalga isolated by our group from Tinto River, an acidic river that flows down from the mining area in Huelva, Spain. This microalga accumulates high concentrations of lutein, a very well-known natural antioxidant. The aim of this study is to assess use of different carbon sources (CO(2), glucose, glycerol, starch, urea, and glycine) for efficient growth of and carotenoid production by C. acidophila. Our results reveal that growth of the microalga on different carbon sources resulted in different algal biomass productivities, urea being as efficient as CO(2) when used as sole carbon source (~20 g dry biomass m(-2) day(-1)). Mixotrophic growth on glucose was also efficient in terms of biomass production (~14 g dry biomass m(-2) day(-1)). In terms of carotenoid accumulation, mixotrophic growth on urea resulted in even higher productivity of carotenoids (mainly lutein, probably via α-carotene) than obtained with photoautotrophic cultures (70% versus 65% relative abundance of lutein, respectively). The accumulated lutein concentrations of C. acidophila reported in this work (about 10 g/kg dry weight, produced in batch systems) are among the highest reported for a microalga. Glycerol and glycine seem to enhance β-carotene biosynthesis, and when glycine is used as carbon source, zeaxanthin becomes the most accumulated carotenoid in the microalga. Strategies for production of lutein and zeaxanthin are suggested based on the obtained results.

Serum lutein concentrations in healthy term infants fed human milk or infant formula with lutein

BackgroundLutein is a carotenoid that may play a role in eye health. Human milk typically contains higher concentrations of lutein than infant formula. Preliminary data suggest there are differences in serum lutein concentrations between breastfed and formula-fed infants.Aim of the studyTo measure the serum lutein concentrations among infants fed human milk or formulas with and without added lutein.MethodsA prospective, double-masked trial was conducted in healthy term formula-fed infants (n = 26) randomized between 9 and 16 days of age to study formulas containing 20 (unfortified), 45, 120, and 225 mcg/l of lutein. A breastfed reference group was studied (n = 14) and milk samples were collected from their mothers. Primary outcome was serum lutein concentration at week 12.ResultsGeometric mean lutein concentration of human milk was 21.1 mcg/l (95% CI 14.9–30.0). At week 12, the human milk group had a sixfold higher geometric mean serum lutein (69.3 mcg/l; 95% CI 40.3–119) than the unfortified formula group (11.3 mcg/l; 95% CI 8.1–15.8). Mean serum lutein increased from baseline in each formula group except the unfortified group. Linear regression equation indicated breastfed infants had a greater increase in serum lutein (slope 3.7; P < 0.001) per unit increase in milk lutein than formula-fed infants (slope 0.9; P < 0.001).ConclusionsBreastfed infants have higher mean serum lutein concentrations than infants who consume formula unfortified with lutein. These data suggest approximately 4 times more lutein is needed in infant formula than in human milk to achieve similar serum lutein concentrations among breastfed and formula fed infants.

Ascorbic acid, vitamin A, and mineral composition of banana ( Musa sp.) and papaya ( Carica papaya) cultivars grown in Hawaii

Banana ( Musa sp.) and papaya ( Carica papaya) cultivars were harvested from different locations throughout Hawaii and analyzed for vitamin C (ascorbic acid), provitamin A ( β-carotene, α-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin), and mineral composition. Dwarf Brazilian (“apple”) bananas had almost three times more vitamin C (12.7 mg/100 g fresh weight) than Williams fruit (4.5 mg/100 g). Also, Dwarf Brazilian bananas had 96.9 μg β-carotene and 104.9 μg α-carotene/100 g, whereas Williams fruit averaged 55.7 μg β-carotene and 84.0 μg α-carotene/100 g. Bananas contained higher concentrations of lutein than of the provitamin A pigments, α- and β-carotene. Papaya vitamin C content was 51.2 mg/100 g, with no differences among cultivars. Papaya provitamin A carotenoids averaged 232.3 μg β-carotene and 594.3 μg β-cryptoxanthin/100 g, and vitamin A ranged from 18.7 to 74.0 μg RAE/100 g. Lycopene was not detected in the yellow-fleshed cultivars, Kapoho, Laie Gold, and Rainbow, but the red-fleshed Sunrise and SunUp fruit contained 1350–3674 μg lycopene/100 g. Dwarf Brazilian bananas had higher P, Ca, Mg, Mn, and Zn contents than Williams fruit. The average K content for Hawaii's bananas was 330.6 mg/100 g. Papayas (100 g) contained 9% of the dietary reference intake (DRI) for Cu, 6–8% of the DRI for Mg, but less than 3% of the DRI for other minerals.

Air Temperature Affects Biomass and Carotenoid Pigment Accumulation in Kale and Spinach Grown in a Controlled Environment

Crop plants are adversely affected by a variety of environmental factors, with air temperature being one of the most influential. Plants have developed a number of methods in the adaptation to air temperature variations. However, there is limited research to determine what impact air temperature has on the production of secondary plant compounds, such as carotenoid pigments. Kale (Brassica oleracea L.) and spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) have high concentrations of lutein and β-carotene carotenoids. The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of different growing air temperatures on plant biomass production and the accumulation of elemental nutrients, lutein, β-carotene, and chlorophyll pigments in the leaves of kale and spinach. Plants were grown in nutrient solutions in growth chambers at air temperatures of 15, 20, 25, and 30 °C for `Winterbor' kale and 10, 15, 20, and 25 °C for `Melody' spinach. Maximum tissue lutein and β-carotene concentration occurred at 30 °C for kale and 10 °C for spinach. Highest carotenoid accumulations were 16.1 and 11.2 mg/100 g fresh mass for lutein and 13.0 and 10.9 mg/100 g fresh mass for β-carotene for the kale and spinach, respectively. Lutein and β-carotene concentration increased linearly with increasing air temperatures for kale, but the same pigments showed a linear decrease in concentration for increasing air temperatures for spinach. Quantifying the effects of air temperature on carotenoid accumulation in kale and spinach, expressed on a fresh mass basis, is important for growers producing these crops for fresh markets.

Changes in Kale Pigment Profiles during Leaf Ontogeny

Chlorophyll and carotenoid pigments were measured with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) during leaf development in kale (Brassicaoleracea L. var. acephala D.C). Lutein and β-carotene are two plant-derived carotenoids that possess important human health properties. Diets high in these carotenoids are associated with a reduced risk of cancer, cataracts, and age-related macular degeneration. Kale plants were growth-chamber grown in nutrient solution culture at 20 °C under 500 μmol·m-2·s-1 of irradiance. Pigments were measured in young (&lt;1 week), immature (1-2 weeks), mature (2-3 weeks), fully developed (3-4 weeks) and senescing (&gt;4 weeks) leaves. Significant differences were measured for all four pigments during leaf development. Accumulation of the pigments followed a quadratic trend, with maximum accumulation occurring between the first and third week of leaf age. The highest concentrations of lutein were recorded in 1- to 2-week-old leaves at 15.1 mg per 100 g fresh weight. The remaining pigments reached maximum levels at 2-3 weeks, with β-carotene at 11.6 mg per 100 g, chlorophyll a at 251.4 mg per 100 g, and chlorophyll b at 56.9 mg per 100 g fresh weight. Identifying changes in carotenoid and chlorophyll accumulation over developmental stages in leaf tissues is applicable to “baby” leafy greens and traditional production practices for fresh markets.

The basis for colorless hemolymph and cocoons in the Y-gene recessive Bombyx mori mutants: a defect in the cellular uptake of carotenoids

Bombyx mori is an excellent model for the study of carotenoid-binding proteins (CBP). In previous papers, we identified and molecularly characterized a CBP from the Y-gene dominant mutants. In the present study, we attempted to correlate and establish lipid metabolism and distribution in these mutants. When [3H]-triolein was fed to the mutants, typical patterns of uptake of labeled fatty acids from midgut to hemolymph and subsequent delivery to fat body and silk glands were obtained in all mutants. Further analysis of lipid and carotenoid profiles revealed that the yellow coloration in the hemolymph associated with lipophorin is not attributed to a difference in lipophorin concentrations among the mutants, nor to its lipid composition, but rather to its carotenoid content. Lipophorin of the Y+I mutant exhibited the highest concentration of total carotenoids of 55.8μg/mg lipophorin compared to 3.1μg/mg in the +Y+I mutant, 1.2μg/mg in the YI mutant and 0.5μg/mg in the +YI mutant. Characteristic retention time in HPLC of the different classes of carotenoids of lipophorin identified the presence of lutein as the major chromophore (62–77%), followed by β-carotenes (22–38%). Although lutein and β-carotene content of mutants’ lipophorin differed significantly, the ratio of lutein to β-carotene of 3:1 was not different among mutants. Similarly, lipid compositions of mutant silk glands were not significantly different, but carotenoid contents were. The significantly high concentration of lutein in the Y+I mutant silk gland represented more than 160-fold increase compared to +Y+I mutant (p<0.001). In this report, we conclude that lipid metabolism in the mutants is not defected and that the molecular basis for colorless hemolymph and cocoons is a defect in the cellular uptake of lutein associated with the Y-gene recessive mutants.

Application of reflectance colour measurement to the estimation of carotene and lutein content in wheat and triticale

Whole-meal wheat, including both bread and durum varieties, and triticale samples were analysed for their carotenoid content by HPLC, and colour using reflectance spectrophotometry (CIE L*a*b*). A positive correlation between CIE b* (yellowness) and lutein concentration was shown in all wheat groups but was strongest in the durums. There was little correlation between CIE L* (lightness) or CIE a* (redness) and lutein, alpha- or beta-carotene. In contrast, the b* value correlated well with the concentration of alpha- and beta-carotene, and therefore the vitamin A activity, though those wheat groups that did not have a strong correlation were those with the lowest CIE b* values. The durum wheat group had the highest CIE b* value and the highest lutein concentration but a relatively low concentration of beta-carotene.

Clinical Snippets

Mother was right: eat your spinach. And it is even better if you eat lots of kale. These are the two vegetables with the highest concentrations of lutein, a carotenoid with one additional hydroxyl group attached to each of its two aromatic rings. High serum lutein levels are associated with less retinal macular degeneration; not surprisingly, there is lots of web activity about this molecule. Granstein and his associates have shown in a mouse model that lutein depresses UVB-induced erythema response and prevents the local decrease in delayed hypersensitivity induced by UVB. In addition to further studies of lutein on UVB carcinogenesis (before the whole world is luteinized), this is the time for random double-blind studies on several of the UVB-associated acute and chronic disorders. J Invest Dermatol 122:510–517, 2004 Anderson and his team investigated damage to blood vessels induced by lasers. The photopathobiology induced by lasers requires visualization of events on the millisec scale. Using a camera to capture 2000 frames per second, the authors were able to study at short time scales the damage to blood vessels and tissues, as well as quantify individual events, such as the effect of pulse duration, fluence, and intravascular cavitation. Vessel contraction and collagen contraction were important steps in laser damage. Making smarter lasers for the desired tissue effects is next. J Invest Dermatol 122:518–525, 2004 For most patients, the usual short-term eruption of polymorphous light eruption (PMLE) after the Spring's first dose of sunlight is a minor annoyance. The mechanism of PMLE is under active study as shown by results from England. In both groups, one MED of solar simulated UV irradiation suppressed sensitization with a potent contact sensitizer less in controls than in PMLE patients. The response may be very sensitive to the UV dose. More detailed mechanistic studies in the patients may define the defect of the PMLE. J Invest Dermatol 122:291–294, 2004; J Invest Dermatol 122:295–299, 2004 Trichothiodystrophy (TTD) with photosensitivity is associated with a mutation in the XPD gene, which is essential for DNA repair. Whereas xeroderma pigmentosum patients with XPD deficiency develop skin cancers, TTD patients with XPD deficiency do not. Detailed study of DNA repair in the TTD patients showed defects with the presence of photoproducts and decreased repair proteins. Nishiwaki and colleagues concluded that the cancer-free phenotype in TTD is not related to the DNA repair defect. These rare diseases yield tantalizing clues to potential new steps or mechanisms related to skin cancer formation that should be applicable to the general population. J Invest Dermatol 122:526–532, 2004 To regenerate the barrier in aging skin, Imiquimod seems better than Viagra. Warts, skin malignancies, and vascular lesions are all improved by Imiquimod. Interleukin-1 alpha is associated with restoration of stratum corneum barrier function. In the study by Barland and coworkers, aged skin responded to barrier damage in a sluggish and not too impressive manner. Enter Imiquimod: interleukin-1 alpha production was increased and the barrier restored in the older mouse and even at a faster rate in the younger mouse. What next for Imiquimod? (The editor has no conflict of interest with either molecule and would use them if needed.) J Invest Dermatol 122:330–336, 2004

Identification and quantitation of major carotenoids in selected components of the Mediterranean diet: green leafy vegetables, figs and olive oil.

To characterize the carotenoid content of selected components of the Mediterranean diet commonly eaten by Greek migrants to Melbourne, a population group maintaining a traditional dietary regimen, and who exhibit relatively high circulating carotenoid concentrations and low cardiovascular disease mortality. DESIGN AND SPECIMENS: Opportunistic sampling of wild (sow thistle, amaranth, purslane and dandelion, collected from roadsides and home gardens) and commercially available (chicory, endive) green leafy vegetables and figs in season. Foods were selected on the basis that they are commonly eaten by Greek migrants but not by Anglo-Celtic persons, and had not previously been well-characterized with respect to their carotenoid contents. Extra virgin, cold-pressed olive oil and 'extra light' olive oil were obtained from commercial sources. Specimens were extracted with tetrahydrofuran (or chloroform:methanol for olive oil) and carotenoid contents were quantified using HPLC with UV detection. Two to six specimens of greens and figs were analysed. Dietary intake was assessed by food frequency questionnaire. Wild green vegetables contained high concentrations of lutein (sow thistle>amaranth>purslane>dandelion) and beta-carotene (sow thistle>amaranth>purslane=dandelion). Sow thistle and amaranth contained lutein (15 and 13 mg/100 g, respectively) and beta-carotene (3.3 and 4.0 mg/100 g, respectively) at concentrations greater than that seen in the commercially available species of chicory and endive. Figs contained all major carotenoids appearing in plasma, albeit at low concentrations. Extra virgin cold-pressed olive oil contained substantial quantities of lutein and beta-carotene, but the more-refined 'extra light' olive oil did not. These components of the traditional Mediterranean diet contribute to the higher circulating concentrations of carotenoids in Greek migrants compared to Anglo-Celtic Australians. This study largely funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (grant no. 974098). Extra virgin olive oil donated by Picuba Foods, Marrickville, NSW, Australia.

Plasma antioxidant vitamins and carotenoids and age-related cataract

Objective To investigate the relationships between plasma concentrations of antioxidant vitamins and carotenoids and nuclear, cortical, and posterior subcapsular cataracts in a group of elderly men and women. Design Cross-sectional survey. Participants Three hundred seventy-two men and women, aged 66 to 75 years, born and still living in Sheffield, England. Methods The Lens Opacities Classification System (LOCS) III was used to grade nuclear, cortical, and posterior subcapsular lens opacities. Fasting blood samples were taken to assess plasma concentrations of vitamin C, vitamin E, α-carotene, β-carotene, lycopene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and β-cryptoxanthin. Main outcome measures Logistic regression analyses of the associations between plasma vitamin concentrations and cataract subtype, adjusting for age, gender, and other risk factors. Results After adjustment for age, gender, and other risk factors, risk of nuclear cataract was lowest in people with the highest plasma concentrations of α-carotene (odds ratio [OR], 0.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.3–0.9, P for trend 0.006) or β-carotene (OR, 0.7; 95% CI, 0.4–1.4, P for trend 0.033). Risk of cortical cataract was lowest in people with the highest plasma concentrations of lycopene (OR, 0.4; 95% CI, 0.2–0.8, P for trend 0.003), and risk of posterior subcapsular cataract was lowest in those with higher concentrations of lutein (OR, 0.5; 95% CI, 0.2–1.0, P for trend 0.012). High plasma concentrations of vitamin C, vitamin E, or the carotenoids zeaxanthin and β-cryptoxanthin were not associated with decreased risk. Conclusions These findings suggest that a diet rich in carotenoids may protect against cataract development, but because they are based on observational data, they need to be confirmed in randomized controlled trials.

Serum Concentrations of Retinol, α-Tocopherol and the Carotenoids Are Influenced by Diet, Race and Obesity in a Sample of Healthy Adolescents

An important part of understanding the functions of vitamin A, vitamin E and the carotenoids in nutritional status assessment, health promotion and disease prevention is knowledge of factors that influence their distribution in human tissues. Our objective was to examine serum concentrations of these nutrients and compounds in a sample of 285 healthy participants, 12-17 y old, from three U. S. cities. Pearson correlations between diet measured with a food frequency questionnaire and serum nutrient concentrations among these adolescents (adjusted for total serum cholesterol, age, sex, race and body mass index) were as follows: retinol, 0.23; alpha-tocopherol, 0.16; alpha-carotene, 0.31; beta-carotene, 0.15; beta-cryptoxanthin, 0.38; lycopene, 0.08; and lutein + zeaxanthin, 0.25. Multivariate linear regression modeled associations of demographic, dietary and physiologic variables with serum concentrations of these nutrients. African-American participants had significantly lower concentrations of serum retinol (P < 0.001), alpha-tocopherol (P < 0.01) and alpha-carotene (P < 0.02), but higher concentrations of lutein + zeaxanthin (P = 0.001) compared with Caucasians. Obese participants had serum nutrient concentrations that were 2-10% (P < 0.05) lower than normal weight participants. Dietary intake was a significant predictor of all serum analytes (P < 0.01) except lycopene. These models explained 20% of the variability in serum retinol, 28% of the variability in serum alpha-tocopherol, and 14-24% of the variability in serum carotenoids.

Ligand-binding Characterization of Xanthophyll Carotenoids to Solubilized Membrane Proteins Derived from Human Retina

The macula of the human retina contains extraordinarily high concentrations of lutein and zeaxanthin, xanthophyll carotenoids that appear to play an important role in protecting against age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness among the elderly. It is likely that the uptake and stabilization of these carotenoids is mediated by specific xanthophyll-binding proteins. In order to purify and characterize such a binding protein, a carotenoid-rich membrane fraction derived from human macula or peripheral retina was prepared by homogenization, differential centrifugation, and detergent solubilization. Further purification was carried out using ion-exchange chromatography and gel-filtration chromatography coupled with continuous photodiode-array monitoring for endogenously associated xanthophyll carotenoids. The most highly purified preparations contained two major protein bands at 25 and 55kDa that consistently co-eluted with endogenous lutein and zeaxanthin. The visible absorbance spectrum of the binding protein preparation closely matches the spectral absorbance of the human macular pigment, and it is bathochromically shifted about 10nm from the spectrum of lutein and zeaxanthin dissolved in organic solvents. Binding of exogenously added lutein and zeaxanthin is saturable and specific with an apparentKd of approximately 1μM. Canthaxanthin and β-carotene exhibit no significant binding activity to solubilized retinal membrane proteins when assayed under identical conditions. Other potential mammalian xanthophyll-binding proteins such as albumin, tubulin, lactoglobulin and serum lipoproteins possess only weak non-specific binding affinity for carotenoids when assayed under the same stringent binding conditions. This investigation provides the first direct evidence for the existence of specific xanthophyll-binding protein(s) in the vertebrate retina and macula. The possible roles of xanthophyll-binding proteins in normal macular function and in the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration remain to be elucidated.

Organic Matter Sources in the Water Column and Sediments of the Hudson River Estuary: the Use of Plant Pigments as Tracers

The purpose of this study was to document inputs of organic matter into the Hudson River Estuary using plant pigments as tracers. Plant pigments (carotenoids and chloropigments) were determined using high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). Water column and sediment samples were collected in 1988 and 1989, from stations along a 165 km transect in the Hudson River Estuary. In the water column, high concentrations of lutein were found at stations adjacent to wetland areas indicating inputs of vascular plant detritus, particularly during late fall. Chlorophyll b/lutein ratios at these stations were 2-4 which are similar to that found in fresh vascular plant material collected from the Hudson. Low chlorophyll b/lutein ratios at Haverstraw Bay, a shallow and turbid area of the estuary, indicate high levels of sediment resuspension. Cyanophyte blooms, as indicated by high concentrations of myxoxanthophyll, reach their peak in late summer at the Hudson and Kingston stations. The chlorophyll a from these algae may comprise as much as 78% of the total chlorophyll a pool during these periods. Concentrations of total phaeophorbide, an indicator of grazing activity, were not correlated with chlorophyll a but were correlated with fucoxanthin and/or fucoxanthinol. This correlation suggests that much of the zooplankton grazing activity is associated with high quality food resources such as diatoms and not with cyanophytes. Surface sediments from a coarse-grained sandy habitat had significantly lower amounts of total organic matter than muddy habitats. However, the sandy sediment had higher grazing activity per gram organic matter, as indicated by total phaeophorbides. Higher concentrations of chlorophyll a and fucoxanthin at the sandy habitat indicate the presence of benthic diatoms which are high quality (low C/N ratio) living resources in contrast to the detrital sources (high C/N, mostly vascular plant) at the muddy stations. High concentrations of chlorophyllide a at some muddy stations, near macrophyte beds, suggest inputs of epiphytic diatom detritus. Overall, sediment pigments of the Hudson estuary are derived from vascular plant material that does not reflect the pigment signature of the water column.

Influence of Sex and Diet on Lutein in Lamb Fat

Summary Sixty-four ram and wether lambs were fed a high or a low energy diet and slaughtered at 60 to 80 kg for an assessment of the influence of diet and sex on lutein concentration in lamb fat. Outer subcutaneous fat samples were removed from the lower portion of wholesale ribs of 40 of the carcasses that had either the whitest or the yellowest fat. Lutein concentrations in the fat were correlated with carcass characteristics, fatty acid composition and lean flavor. Higher levels of lutein in the fat were associated with yellower fat color and lower carcass grades. More intense flavor in meat from ram and wether lambs was also associated with higher lutein values. Fat from lambs on the high energy corn diet had less lutein than fat from lambs on the low energy alfalfa diet because of the higher lutein content of the alfalfa. Ram lambs fed the low energy diet accumulated much higher concentrations of lutein in their fat than did wethers fed the same diet, but when high energy diets low in lutein were fed, neither rams nor wethers accumulated signifieant quantities of lutein. Overall, yellow fat, which is caused by high lutein levels, can be decreased by castration before the lambs reach 60 d of age or by the feeding of a diet low in lutein.

魚類のカロテノイドに関する比較生化学的研究-I

Carotenoid pigments from the skin and fin of Chinese snakehead, Channa argus, were investigated. The principal carotenoid pigment was not lutein known to be characteristic of fresh-water fishes, but tunaxanthin (35-36%) known to be characteristic of marine fishes. Relatively high concentrations of lutein (24-27%), zeaxanthin (10-14%) and cynthiaxanthin (11-18%) were also found. In addition to these, β-carotene (3-4%), α-cryptoxanthin (2-8%), cryptoxanthin (3-5%), astacene (trace) and α-doradecin (trace) were present in small amounts.

Carotenoids of Eriobotrya japonica

The carotenoids of the loquat fruit Eriobotrya japonica Golden Nugget variety, were investigated. They were identified according to their chromatographic, spectrophotometric and chemical properties and compared with standard pigments. For some of the carotenoids, MS were determined. Pulp and peels were investigated separately. The main pattern of the pulp carotenoids was β-carotene (33%), γ-carotene (6%), cryptoxanthin (22%), lutein, violaxanthin and neoxanthin, each about 3–4%. The peel, with a carotenoid content 5 times as high, had a similar pattern, but the ratio between the main pigments differed: β-carotene (50%); γ-carotene (5%); cryptoxanthin (5%); lutein (13%); violaxanthin, neoxanthin, 3–4%. The carotenoids of the loquat (subfamily Maloideae) were very similar to those of the apricot ( Prunus armeniaca-subfamily Prunoideae) both of the family of Rosaceae. The intergeneric differences are more pronounced, which is of possible taxonomic significance. The lower concentration of cryptoxanthin and the high concentration of lutein in the peels is noteworthy and of biosynthetic interest.