Plasma Carotenoid Content Research Articles

The effect of cold plasma treatment on quality attributes and shelf life of apples

The effectiveness of atmospheric air dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) cold plasma was compared with existing decontamination methods for improving the quality and shelf life of apples. The samples were stored in two different storage conditions (ambient, 27 ± 3 °C; and cold, 10 ± 1 °C) to check the effect of storage temperature on their shelf life. The microbial load on the apples was reduced after all the treatments, and samples stored at 10 ℃ showed a higher reduction in microbial load with increased shelf life. The polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) enzyme activities showed a significant reduction after cold plasma treatment; however, peroxidase (POD) activity showed a lower reduction than PPO and PAL enzymes. Color changes evaluated using L*, a*, and b* values showed higher retention for the red color in the treated samples compared to control samples, and the firmness of all treated samples was maintained throughout the storage period. The total phenolic content (TPC) increased after cold plasma treatment and carotenoid content was retained in the treated samples. In addition, the present study demonstrated that the novel cold plasma decontamination method was more effective in reducing the pesticides (Malathion, Fenthion, and Chlorpyrifos) from the apple surfaces than the conventional methods. Cold plasma can be a better alternative for decontaminating apples; however, other hurdles may be required to increase their shelf life further.

Nitrogen stable isotope and carotenoid pigments signatures in the meat as tools to trace back the diet: Comparison between two sheep breeds

We compared the response of two dietary biomarkers (nitrogen stable isotope and carotenoid pigments signatures in lamb meat) in two sheep breeds when fed two dietary lucerne levels, and we deduct subsequent implications for diet authentication issues. Two breeds (Limousine and Romane) and two daily dietary lucerne levels (H: High, 500g;L: Low, 0g) were used for 60days pre-slaughter. Treatment H comprised 35 lambs of each breed, individually penned and fed. Treatment L comprised 8 lambs of each breed, fed in groups. The δ15N value of the muscle did not differ between breeds and gave a correct classification score of 92.9% comparing lambs from both feeding treatments. The absolute value of the mean integral of perirenal fat reflectance spectrum, which quantifies light absorption by carotenoid pigments present in perirenal fat, and plasma carotenoid content were similar in L Romane and L Limousine lambs, but were higher in H Romane lambs than in H Limousine lambs As the carotenoid pigments are highly involved in the discrimination process between pasture-fed lambs and concentrate-fed lambs using visible spectroscopy on the fat, further work is required to test the extent to which this between-breed variability may modulate the reliability of pasture-feeding authentication using visible spectroscopy of the fat over a range of breeds.

Effect of oxidative stress on major plasma carotenoid content and composition in prepubertal children with growth hormone deficiency

Objective and hypotheses. This study aimed at examining the effect of oxidative stress on amount and composition of major plasma carotenoids in prepubertal children with growth hormone deficiency (GHD).Material and methods. Thirteen prepubertal treatment-naive children (2 girls, 11 boys; aged 3.5—12.0 yr, median 8.0 years; bone age 1.5—8.0 yr; median 6.0 years,) with GHD and 7 prepubertal health children (7 boys; aged 6—11 years; median 9.3 years) were included in the study. The levels and composition of carotenoids (lutein with zeaxanthin, lycopene isomers, β-cryptoxanthin, β- and α-carotene and ketocarotenoids) were measured using reverse phase HPLC. Activity of the antioxidant system was assayed via thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), ceruloplasmin (CP) levels and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of plasma. Total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and triglycerides (TG) were also measured.Results. The levels of TBARS, TC and LDL-C in the GHD children were higher than in healthy children (median 5.6 vs 3.8 µM/L, 4.00 vs 4.37 and 2.40 vs 2.70 mM/L, respectively). Total carotenoid level did not significantly differ between control and the GHD groups. However, contents of lutein and β-cryptoxanthin were significantly lower in the GHD children in comparison with control group (21.34 vs 6.97 and 25.23 vs 10.08 mg/l, respectively). In contrast, levels of lycopene, α- and β-carotene did not significantly differ in the GHD and control groups. At the same time, the level of ketocarotenoids in the GHD children increases (35.67 vs 114.9 mg/l).Conclusions. We observed that the presence of mild oxidative stress leads to a changes in carotenoid profile of GHD children.

Seasonal variation of circulating plasma carotenoids in Mediterranean Great Tit males Parus major

Capsule Mediterranean Great Tits showed a marked increase in levels of circulating carotenoids during moult and autumn.Aims To study seasonal variation in plasma carotenoid content during a whole annual cycle for Great Tits Parus major inhabiting a Mediterranean woodland.Methods We used a sample of 71 adult male Great Tits captured in NE Spain during a whole year. Data were organized into four seasons (winter, breeding, moult and autumn). We sampled blood to extract plasma. Carotenoid plasma concentrations were analysed by High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).Results Lutein and zeaxanthin content varied seasonally, with a marked increase in levels during moult and autumn. Within the moulting period, levels increased gradually as the season progressed. This pattern differed significantly from that previously described in northern European populations, where high values appear mainly in the breeding season. Carotenoid concentrations (lutein: 1.2 ± 0.25, zeaxanthin: 0.07 ± 0.03 µg mL−1) were also lower than in northern Europe.Conclusion Mediterranean Great Tits show a very different pattern of circulating carotenoids and lower levels than northern European populations. The increasing pattern of carotenoid availability found within the moulting period raises the need to control for the effect of sampling date when analysing data on carotenoid concentrations at different times of year.

Influence of level of barley supplementation on plasma carotenoid content and fat spectrocolorimetric characteristics in lambs fed a carotenoid-rich diet

This study investigated changes in plasma carotenoid concentration and fat reflectance spectrum characteristics and color in lambs fed a carotenoid-rich diet with low-level (L, 100g/lamb/day) or high-level (H, 400g/lamb/day) of barley supplementation for 75days before slaughter. Each treatment used 24 Romane male lambs that were individually penned indoors. Plasma carotenoid concentration at slaughter was 16% lower in H lambs than in L lambs. H lambs had heavier and fatter carcasses than L lambs. Yellowness and redness of perirenal fat were slightly lower in H lambs than in L lambs. The absolute value of the mean integral (AVMI) calculated from the reflectance spectrum of the fat in the 450–510nm band was not affected by the treatment. Yellowness, chroma and AVMI of subcutaneous fat were not affected by the treatment but decreased with initial animal's liveweight.

Fat stores in a migratory bird: a reservoir of carotenoid pigments for times of need?

Carotenoids are well known for their immune-stimulant function in birds and other vertebrates. Moreover, they have potential antioxidant capacity, scavenging free radicals and protecting cell compartments from oxidation. Most essential carotenoids are fat soluble and could be stored for times of need especially in adipose tissues, built up by migratory birds as the main source of energy on long-distance flights. In an exclusive diet experiment, garden warblers (Sylvia borin) were fed ad libitum with an experimental diet, enriched with two different dose rates of carotenoids, or with control food, during the period of their first autumn migration. Plasma carotenoid content was measured via HPLC and chroma of plasma and fat examined with a spectrophotometer. Birds were infected with Isospora spp. and intensity of infection determined by oocyst counts 3days post infection. Plasma lutein levels and chroma of subcutaneous fat stores were positively correlated and chroma values of these fat stores increased in the birds that got the higher dose rate, whereas they decreased significantly in the control group after infection with Isospora spp. Chroma of subcutaneous fat deposits in vivo and intensity of Isospora infection were negatively correlated. By measuring the chroma of fat deposits in vivo, we show that fat can be a reservoir for carotenoids. These colorful antioxidants are stored in the fat and taken from there in times of a higher demand, e.g. when mounting an immune response to parasites.

Traceability of grass-feeding in young beef using carotenoid pigments in plasma and adipose tissue

AbstractThe objective of the present study was to test the reliability of the analysis method of the reflectance spectrum of fat in the zone of light absorption by carotenoid pigments developed in lambs to trace grass feeding in calves. Six feeding treatments were compared in suckling calves: ad libitum cocksfoot hay plus ad libitum concentrate or half level of ad libitum concentrate (HH and HL), ad libitum cut grass plus ad libitum concentrate or half level of ad libitum concentrate (GH and GL), ad libitum highland grazed grass plus ad libitum concentrate (PH); ad libitum medium quality cocksfoot hay plus dam's milk (C0). Groups HH, HL, GH, GL and PH were slaughtered at approximately 10 months of age, after 150 days of experimental feeding diet. C0 calves were slaughtered at the beginning of the experiment at approximately 6 months of age. The concentration of carotenoids was analysed by HPLC on diets and calves' plasma at slaughter. The reflectance spectrum of perirenal and subcutaneous fat were measured at slaughter and expressed as AVI units. Plasma carotenoid content was higher (P<0·05) in PH and GL calves than in HH, HL and GH calves. There was an effect (P<0·05) of feeding treatment and measurement site on AVI. Values obtained for perirenal fat were higher (P<0·05) than those obtained for subcutaneous fat. For plasma carotenoid content and for AVI values in both fat tissues there was no overlapping between hay-fed calves on the one hand and GL or grazing calves on the other hand. However, there was some overlapping between hay-fed calves and GH calves. For plasma carotenoid content, values for C0 calves overlapped with values of GH and GL calves. For both fat tissues AVI values of C0 calves overlapped with values of HH, HL, GH and GL calves. AVI of cut grass fed calves (GH and GL groups) increased linearly (P<0·05) with average daily grass intake for both tissues considered. AVI in subcutaneous fat tissue decreased linearly (P<0·05) with average daily concentrate intake but this relation was not significant for AVI in perirenal fat (P>0·05). Plasma carotenoid concentration and the reflectance spectrum of the fat in the zone of light absorption by carotenoid pigments could be used to trace grass feeding in calves. Results obtained in this study suggest that different fatty tissues could differ in their reliability and interest for traceability of grass-feeding, depending on the animal age and production system.

Plasma lipoprotein paticle size and carotenoid content are positively influenced by egg consumption and the response to dietary cholesterol in an elderly population

29 postmenopausal women (50–68y) and 13 men (60–80y) were assigned to either 3 eggs (EGG, 640 mg cholesterol /d) or an equal volume of cholesterol-free egg substitute (SUB, 0 mg cholesterol/d) for 30d. Following a 3 wk wash out, subjects crossed over to the alternate diet. Individuals with a response to dietary cholesterol > 2.2 mg/dL for each additional 100 mg of dietary cholesterol were classified as hyper-responders (HYPER) while hypo-responders (HYPO) were those with a response ≤ to 2.2 mg/dL. HYPER had higher concentrations of both LDL and HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) but maintained their LDL/HDL ratio after EGG. In contrast, the concentrations of plasma LDL-C and HDL-C did not differ between the EGG and SUB for the HYPO. NMR spectroscopy determined LDL and HDL size & particle concentrations. After EGG, HYPER experienced an increase in the larger (≥ 21.2 nm) less atherogenic LDL particle (P < 0.001) and in the largest HDL particle (> 8.8 nm) (P < 0.01), associated with reverse cholesterol transport. HPLC was used to analyze plasma carotenoids. All individuals had an increase in plasma lutein (from 32.4 ± 15.2 to 46.4 ± 23.3 ng/L) and zeaxanthin (from 8.8 ± 4.8 to 10.7 ± 5.8 ng/L) during EGG, yet HYPER displayed higher concentrations of carotenoids when compared to HYPO. These findings suggest that the increases in LDL-C and HDL-C due to increased egg consumption in HYPER are related to increases in the lipoprotein subfractions associated with less atherogenic particles. Also, increases in plasma caroteniods after EGG may provide a valuable dietary source for this population. [Supported by the American Egg Board/Egg Nutrition Center and USDA NRI]

Effect of concentrate finishing on the carotenoid content of perirenal fat in grazing sheep: its significance for discriminating grass-fed, concentrate-fed and concentrate-finished grazing lambs

AbstractCarotenoid pigments are good biomarkers of grass-feeding in sheep. However, as grazing lambs may be concentrate-finished, we investigated the effect of concentrate finishing after grazing on the carotenoid concentration of fat in sheep, and its significance for discriminating lamb production systems. In experiment 1 with 32 lambs, four feeding treatments were compared: G = grazing, C = feeding a concentrate-based diet, GSC = short concentrate-finishing period after grazing, and GLC = long concentrate-finishing period after grazing. The concentrate supply was regulated to have similar average daily gain for all treatments. In experiment 2, 42 ewes were given a low carotenoid diet after pasture feeding, for 0, 8, 22, 42, 84 or 126 days. The feeding level was adjusted to maintain body weight and body condition score. The nature and concentration of carotenoids was analysed by HPLC on diets and lambs’ perirenal fat. The reflectance spectrum of perirenal fat was measured at slaughter. Lutein was the only carotenoid in lamb fat. In experiment 1, the intensity of light absorption by lutein was linearly related with its concentration in the fat (P &lt; 0·001) and was negatively correlated with the duration of the finishing period. The design of experiment 2 avoided the confounding effect of fat gain during the finishing period and examined the effect of the duration of this period by itself. There was no effect of stall-feeding duration on the intensity of light absorption by carotenoids in the fat in experiment 2, demonstrating that the effect of stall-feeding duration in fattening lambs was mediated via a dilution of existing fat with whiter fat rather than through pigments coming out of the fat. The concentration of lutein and the intensity of its light absorption in the fat decreased with lamb body-weight gain during the finishing period (P &lt; 0·01 and P &lt; 0·05 respectively) and increased with plasma carotenoid content at the end of the grazing period (P &lt; 0·001). Because of the inter-individual variability in carotenoid absorption, the use of the reflectance spectrum of the fat alone may cause some concentrate finished grazing lambs to be classified as C lambs shortly after the beginning of the stall-feeding period, whereas others may be considered as G lambs for a long period of time. However, the combined use of plasma carotenoid content at slaughter together with the reflectance spectrum of the fat improves reliability in the discrimination of grass-fed, concentrate-fed and concentrate-finished grazing lambs, by taking advantage of the differences in the rate of reduction in carotenoid concentration in blood and fat.

Persistence of carotenoid pigments in the blood of concentrate-finished grazing sheep: its significance for the traceability of grass-feeding.

Carotenoid pigments are good biomarkers of grass feeding in sheep. However, grazing lambs are often stall-finished because of grass shortage. We investigated the nature of the carotenoids present in sheep blood and their persistence in this tissue. Four treatments were compared: 1) feeding a concentrate-based diet (n = 10 lambs), 2) grazing followed by a long stall-finishing period (n = 10), 3) grazing followed by a short stall-finishing period (n = 10), and 4) grazing to slaughter weight (n = 10). The concentrate supply was regulated to have similar average daily gain for all treatments. The 40 lambs were allocated to either the grazing or the stall treatments on the basis of their birth date, birth weight, and body weight. The 30 grazing lambs were further allocated to long-stall, short-stall, or grass treatment on the basis of their body weight and plasma carotenoid content. Plasma content of total carotenoids was measured by spectrophotometry during the grazing and the stall periods for all lambs and at slaughter weight for the eight heaviest lambs of each treatment. Analysis of the nature and the concentration of individual carotenoids was performed by HPLC on pasture and stall diets and on blood of grazing lambs. The carotenoid content of the stall diet was 2 to 3% that of the pasture diet. Lutein, zeaxanthin, and beta-carotene accounted for 43 to 58%, 3 to 17%, and 0 to 7% of total plasma carotenoids in grazing lambs, respectively. Two unknown polar carotenoids, expressed in lutein equivalent, accounted for 10 to 22% and 0 to 9% of total carotenoids. Plasma carotenoid content during the grazing and the finishing periods varied among animals (P < 0.001). At slaughter weight, plasma carotenoid content was higher for grass-fed than for stall-fed, long-stall finished, or short-stall finished lambs (P < 0.001), and reliably distinguished grass-fed lambs from all the others. Plasma carotenoid content decreased exponentially with the interval from starting on the stall diet (P < 0.005). The deceleration parameter of the model increased linearly with lamb average daily gain during the stall-finishing period, suggesting that the turnover of carotenoids in the blood may depend on the level of intake of the stall-finishing diet. After 4 to 13 d on the stall diet, depending on the initial plasma carotenoid concentration, plasma carotenoid concentration of previously grazed, stall-finished lambs fell to the values of lambs fed a concentrate diet without grazing. Such a low persistence is of interest for discriminating grazing lambs from stall-finished grazing lambs.

Feeding Value of High-oil Corn for Taiwan Country Chicken

The feeding value of high-oil corn fed to Taiwan Country (TC) chicken was examined by measuring apparent metabolizable energy (AME), growth performance, sexual maturity, carcass characteristics, and plasma pigmentation. In a completely randomized design, 870 sex-intermingled one-wk-old chicks were assigned to one of 30 floor pens, 29 birds per pen, and each pen randomly assigned to one of five dietary treatments. The experiment was ended when birds were 16 wk of age. The five dietary treatments varied in main fat sources, which were corn oil (CO), high-oil corn (HOC), lard (LRD), whole soybean (WSB) and yellow corn (YC), respectively. All the diets were formulated isonitrogenously, isocalorically, and of equal lysine and methionine contents except YC, in which equal amounts of YC replaced HOC. The results indicated that feed conversion in HOC was 8% higher (p<0.05) than YC whereas the calculated AME of HOC was only 3.5% to 4.0% higher than that of YC. No significant differences were observed in body weight, body weight gain, feed consumption, feed conversion ratio and ME efficiency for body weight gain among CO, HOC, LRD, and WSB. No significant differences existed in both skin and muscle pigmentation of breast among the five dietary treatments. No significance differences existed in plasma carotenoid content measured at various ages among the five dietary treatments except that birds fed with HOC had less (p<0.05) plasma carotenoids at 16 wk-old. The results indicate that if the price of high-oil corn is no more than 1.05 times that of yellow corn, the dietary cost per kg of body weight gain for TC chickens fed diets containing high-oil corn will be less, although their body weight may be lighter compared to chickens fed diets formulated with other fat sources. (Asian-Aust. J. Anim. Sci. 2003. Vol 16, No. 9 : 1348-1354)

Traceability of lamb production systems: carotenoids in plasma and adipose tissue

Abstract This study was conducted to determine whether carotenoid pigments can act as biomarkers of grass feeding to trace lamb production systems. Three production systems were compared: G = grazing (72 lambs), S = stall-feeding (26 lambs), and GS = grazing period followed by a stall-feeding period (27 lambs). Presence of carotenoids in tissues was evaluated by plasma concentration and reflectance spectrum of subcutaneous caudal adipose tissue. Plasma carotenoid content was measured during the grazing period for G and GS lambs, at the end of the grazing period for GS lambs and at slaughter for G, S and GS lambs. Reflectance spectrum of adipose tissue was measured at slaughter for 38 G and 26 S lambs. We collected 135 G and 26 S blood samples. Carotenoids were detected in 97% of the G blood samples, whereas they were not detected in 93% of the S blood samples. Plasma carotenoid content of all the GS lambs decreased during the stall-feeding period. Mean reflectance spectra of adipose tissue of G and S lambs differed between 450 and 510 nm, which corresponds to light absorption by carotenoids. We performed a mathematical analysis of the spectrum in order to quantify absorbance in this zone and to propose an index that can be used in the meat industry to trace animal production systems. This method was less discriminating than plasma carotenoid analysis, as there was some overlapping in the frequency distribution of the traceability index for G and S lambs that concerned 19% of the lambs. Sensitivity of the two methods to bias and applicability to cattle are discussed.

Intestinal absorption of lycopene from different matrices and interactions to other carotenoids, the lipid status, and the antioxidant capacity of human plasma.

The bioavailability of carotenoids has been investigated in animal studies as well as in human studies, so far mostly for beta-carotene. Only few results exist for lycopene. In recent studies, lycopene was significantly better available from processed tomatoes compared to raw tomatoes, when using daily intakes between 16.5 mg and 75 mg lycopene. In a comparative study the availability of a low oral lycopene dosage of 5 mg/d from different food matrices versus soft gel capsules containing tomato oleoresin was assessed. In addition to the plasma carotenoid content, the effect of lycopene ingestion on other plasma carotenoids, the lipid status parameters, and the antioxidant activity was estimated. Twenty-two female adults (20-27 y) were randomized in three groups and were advised to minimize their carotenoid intake for two weeks. After this initial period, two groups received a portion of tomatoes or tomato juice adjusted to a lycopene dose of 5 mg/d, the third group ingested the same dose comprised in soft gel capsules containing tomato oleoresin. During the test period of 6 weeks, the participants continued reducing the intake of carotenoids from food. Fasting blood samples were withdrawn prior to the study, before supplementation started, and then weekly while supplemented. Seven-day dietary records were prepared before the study started and after one week of supplementation. Carotenoids were analyzed by reversed phase HPLC with diode array detection. Dietary records were evaluated using the computer software EBIS 2.1. The plasma total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides were determined enzymatically. In addition, the antioxidant activity of plasma was estimated by using the TEAC and the TRAP assays. The basal levels of lycopene in plasma were comparable for all groups (0.2-0.3 mumol/l) and decreased significantly during the two weeks of depletion to approximately 50% of the basal values. Other plasma carotenoids such as beta-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin decreased significantly, too, whereas lutein and zeaxanthin remained unchanged. After supplementation with tomato oleoresin capsules or tomato juice, the plasma lycopene increased significantly, while it remained unchanged during intake of tomatoes. Normal dietary habits were practised of all volunteers before and during the study except vitamin C whose intake was significantly lower during the study period, because the probands were recommended to reduce the intake of fruits and vegetables. Lycopene supplementation did not affect the lipid status parameters of the three groups. After ingestion of lycopene the antioxidant activity of the plasma was not altered. Mean TEAC values were estimated to 0.33 +/- 0.05 mmol/l and TRAP values to 1.0 +/- 0.1 mmol/l and showed no significant differences in all groups during the whole study period. The bioavailability of lycopene varied significantly depending on the administered matrix. Lycopene from tomato oleoresin capsules and tomato juice (processed tomatoes) was better absorbed from the intestine than lycopene from raw tomatoes. The daily intake of 5 mg lycopene, an intake comparable to the usual daily carotenoid intake, did not affect cholesterol and triglycerides in plasma or its antioxidant capacity.

Influence of 11-ketotestosterone, 17β-estradiol, and 3,5,3′-triiodo-L-thyronine on distribution and metabolism of carotenoids in Arctic charr, Salvelinus alpinus L.*

This investigation examines the influence of implants containing 11-ketotestosterone (11KT), 17-estradiol (E2), and 3,5,3 0 -triiodo-L-thyronine (T3) on astaxanthin metabolism in sexually immature individually tagged Arctic charr. The fish (initial average weight 427 g) were maintained in freshwater for 40 days, and weekly implanted intraperitoneally with oil-based injections containing either 11 KT, E 2 or T3 at levels of 0.1, 1.0 and 0.1 mg (100 g body weight (BW)) 1 , respectively. The control fish were given the oil medium alone (0.2 ml 100 g BW 1 ). The diet contained ca. 50 mg astaxanthin kg 1 . Carotenoid composition was monitored in plasma, fillet, liver and skin, and 11 KT, E2 and testosterone (T) levels in plasma. All hormone treatments reduced plasma T compared to the control. E2-treated fish had a higher ( p< 0:05) hepatosomatic index (HSI) than the other treatments. Hormone treatment did not influence gonadosomatic index (GSI). T 3 administration induced a silvery skin appearance. The fillet and plasma carotenoid content decreased during the experiment. 11 KT implantation reduced astaxanthin and idoxanthin concentrations of plasma and fillets, and increased the amount in liver and skin, compared to the other treatments. The relative proportion of astaxanthin to idoxanthin was higher in the control fish and T 3 implanted fish, than in fish implanted with 11 KT or E 2 ( p< 0:05). Fish treated with E2 had the highest skin carotenoid concentration. Male fish had significantly higher carotenoid content in plasma, fillet and skin than female fish. This study reveals that sex hormones affect carotenoid metabolism and partitioning among body compartments of Arctic charr, effects differently displayed by the sexes.