Stability Of Carotenoids Research Articles

Stability of carotenoids, carotenoid esters, tocopherols and capsaicinoids in new chili pepper hybrids during natural and thermal drying

In the fields of human nutrition and the food industry, the various products of the spice red chili pepper have sparked increased attention. The purpose of this study was to determine the quantity and stability of carotenoids, carotenoid esters, tocopherols, and capsaicinoids in new spice chili hybrids under traditional drying utilizing cutting-edge analytical techniques. In both fresh and conventionally dried goods, the quantities and stability of bioactive components vary significantly between the hybrids. The highly pungent cultivar Unijol, which dispersed capsaicinoids 7–9 times more than the other cultivars, had the highest retention of carotenoids (76–138) upon drying. The levels of carotenoids discovered in naturally dried samples were larger in all cultivars than those found in raw materials, indicating continuous over-ripeness processes during long-term drying. Tocopherol stability was ranked Unijol > Hetényi > Unikal, with retention rates of 82–93, 72–79, and 63–73 percent, respectively. The genotypes differed not only in capsaicinoids content, but also in the ratio of capsanthin to dihydrocapsanthin, as well as in their stability during natural and thermal drying, with Unijol being the most stable and Hetényi being the least, with maximal retention of 71–92 percent and 58–86 percent, respectively.

The Carotenoid Esterification Gene BrPYP Controls Pale-Yellow Petal Color in Flowering Chinese Cabbage (Brassica rapa L. subsp. parachinensis).

Carotenoid esterification plays indispensable roles in preventing degradation and maintaining the stability of carotenoids. Although the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway has been well characterized, the molecular mechanisms underlying carotenoid esterification, especially in floral organs, remain poorly understood. In this study, we identified a natural mutant flowering Chinese cabbage (Caixin, Brassica rapa L. subsp. chinensis var. parachinensis) with visually distinguishable pale-yellow petals controlled by a single recessive gene. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) demonstrated that the chromoplasts in the yellow petals were surrounded by more fully developed plastoglobules compared to the pale-yellow mutant. Carotenoid analyses further revealed that, compared to the pale-yellow petals, the yellow petals contained high levels of esterified carotenoids, including lutein caprate, violaxanthin dilaurate, violaxanthin-myristate-laurate, 5,6epoxy-luttein dilaurate, lutein dilaurate, and lutein laurate. Based on bulked segregation analysis and fine mapping, we subsequently identified the critical role of a phytyl ester synthase 2 protein (PALE YELLOW PETAL, BrPYP) in regulating carotenoid pigmentation in flowering Chinese cabbage petals. Compared to the yellow wild-type, a 1,148 bp deletion was identified in the promoter region of BrPYP in the pale-yellow mutant, resulting in down-regulated expression. Transgenic Arabidopsis plants harboring beta-glucuronidase (GUS) driven by yellow (BrPYPY::GUS) and pale-yellow type (BrPYPPY::GUS) promoters were subsequently constructed, revealing stronger expression of BrPYPY::GUS both in the leaves and petals. Furthermore, virus-induced gene silencing of BrPYP significantly altered petal color from yellow to pale yellow. These findings demonstrate the molecular mechanism of carotenoid esterification, suggesting a role of phytyl ester synthase in carotenoid biosynthesis of flowering Chinese cabbage.

Recovery of β-carotene and astaxanthin from Phaffia rhodozyma biomass using aqueous solutions of cholinium-based ionic liquids

The red yeast Phaffia rhodozyma is a natural source of high-added value carotenoids such as β-carotene and astaxanthin, widely used in the cosmeceutical, chemical, feed/food and pharmaceutical industries. This yeast is characterized by a rigid cell wall mainly composed of biopolymers, being required an appropriate design of downstream processing to recovery these intracellular carotenoids. In this sense, a biocompatible alternative for the selective recovery of β-carotene and astaxanthin from P. rhodozyma cells by using ionic liquids (ILs) was proposed. The performance of different cholinium-based ILs to permeabilize the cell wall and recovery intracellular carotenoids from P. rhodozyma wet biomass was evaluated and the operational conditions were optimized. The recovery yields of β-carotene and astaxanthin increased with the increment of alkyl chain length of the anion (cf., increase of relative hydrophobicity of ILs), being cholinium octanoate [Ch][Oct] the most efficient (50 wt% in water, 45 °C and 60 min). The stability of carotenoids in ILs as well as the mechanisms behind the recoveries have also been investigated. Afterwards, it was developed for the best IL solution an integrative platform for the recycling of the solvents (up to three successive cycles without any make up) and recovery of β-carotene and astaxanthin using bio-based solvents. The results demonstrate the efficiency of cholinium-based ILs for the recovery of β-carotene and astaxanthin (≈ 40% w/w) from P. rhodozyma in one-step extraction, reinforcing the aptitude of ILs for the recovery of intracellular biomolecules from microbial-based biomass.

Heat and Light Stability of Pumpkin-Based Carotenoids in a Photosensitive Food: A Carotenoid-Coloured Beverage.

This study aimed to evaluate carotenoid degradation kinetics in a beverage coloured with pumpkin juice concentrate during storage at dark and illuminated conditions at four temperatures (10, 20, 35 and 45 °C). Carotenoids were quantified by HPLC-DAD, and kinetic parameters for carotenoid degradation were estimated by one-step nonlinear regression analysis. During dark storage, degradation kinetics was modelled by fractional conversion (all-trans-β-carotene) and zero-order equations (all-trans-antheraxanthin, all-trans-lutein, all-trans-violaxanthin and all-trans-neoxanthin). Storage of samples in a climatic chamber with intense light intensity (1875–3000 lux) accelerated the carotenoid losses. At illuminated conditions, degradation followed a first-order (all-trans-lutein, all-trans-violaxanthin and all-trans-neoxanthin) and fractional conversion model (all-trans-β-carotene and all-trans-antheraxanthin). Carotenoid degradation followed an Arrhenius temperature-dependency, with values lower than 50 kJ/mol. Degradation was shown to be mainly by oxidative reactions. Packaging under minimal oxygen conditions, use of antioxidants (e.g., ascorbic acid), and proper choice of light sources at retail shelves may be considered to optimize the pigment retention in a carotenoid-coloured beverage during storage.

Heat and Light Stability of Pumpkin-Based Carotenoids in a Photosensitive Food: A Carotenoid-Coloured Beverage

Heat and Light Stability of Pumpkin-Based Carotenoids in a Photosensitive Food: A Carotenoid-Coloured Beverage

Impact of Cultivar Selection and Thermal Processing by Air Drying, Air Frying, and Deep Frying on the Carotenoid Content and Stability and Antioxidant Capacity in Carrots (Daucus carota L.).

Epidemiological data suggest that consuming diets rich in carotenoids can reduce the risk of developing several non-communicable diseases. Thus, we investigated the extent to which carotenoid contents of foods can be increased by the choice of food matrices with naturally high carotenoid contents and thermal processing methods that maintain their stability. For this purpose, carotenoids of 15 carrot (Daucus carota L.) cultivars of different colors were assessed with UHPLC-DAD-ToF-MS. Additionally, the processing effects of air drying, air frying, and deep frying on carotenoid stability were applied. Cultivar selection accounted for up to 12.9-fold differences in total carotenoid content in differently colored carrots and a 2.2-fold difference between orange carrot cultivars. Air frying for 18 and 25 min and deep frying for 10 min led to a significant decrease in total carotenoid contents. TEAC assay of lipophilic extracts showed a correlation between carotenoid content and antioxidant capacity in untreated carrots.

Characterization of cassava ORANGE proteins and their capability to increase provitamin A carotenoids accumulation.

Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) biofortification with provitamin A carotenoids is an ongoing process that aims to alleviate vitamin A deficiency. The moderate content of provitamin A carotenoids achieved so far limits the contribution to providing adequate dietary vitamin A levels. Strategies to increase carotenoid content focused on genes from the carotenoids biosynthesis pathway. In recent years, special emphasis was given to ORANGE protein (OR), which promotes the accumulation of carotenoids and their stability in several plants. The aim of this work was to identify, characterize and investigate the role of OR in the biosynthesis and stabilization of carotenoids in cassava and its relationship with phytoene synthase (PSY), the rate-limiting enzyme of the carotenoids biosynthesis pathway. Gene and protein characterization of OR, expression levels, protein amounts and carotenoids levels were evaluated in roots of one white (60444) and two yellow cassava cultivars (GM5309-57 and GM3736-37). Four OR variants were found in yellow cassava roots. Although comparable expression was found for three variants, significantly higher OR protein amounts were observed in the yellow varieties. In contrast, cassava PSY1 expression was significantly higher in the yellow cultivars, but PSY protein amount did not vary. Furthermore, we evaluated whether expression of one of the variants, MeOR_X1, affected carotenoid accumulation in cassava Friable Embryogenic Callus (FEC). Overexpression of maize PSY1 alone resulted in carotenoids accumulation and induced crystal formation. Co-expression with MeOR_X1 led to greatly increase of carotenoids although PSY1 expression was high in the co-expressed FEC. Our data suggest that posttranslational mechanisms controlling OR and PSY protein stability contribute to higher carotenoid levels in yellow cassava. Moreover, we showed that cassava FEC can be used to study the efficiency of single and combinatorial gene expression in increasing the carotenoid content prior to its application for the generation of biofortified cassava with enhanced carotenoids levels.

Oxidative stability of tocochromanols, carotenoids, and fatty acids in maize (Zea mays L.) porridges with varying phytate concentrations during cooking and in vitro digestion

Phytic acid, the main storage form of phosphate in maize (Zea mays L.) grains, is known as antinutrient due to its chelating properties but may also prevent oxidation. Thus, the impact of phytic acid on the degradation of tocochromanols, carotenoids, fatty acids, and oxidation products in maize during cooking and subsequent in vitro digestion was examined. Maize porridges from low phytic acid maize flour with or without admixed phytate, or from high phytic acid maize flour were prepared, and digestion experiments conducted. HPLC-(MS) or GC-MS analyses revealed a significant decrease in tocochromanols, carotenoids, and unsaturated fatty acids in the digesta compared to the maize porridges while α-tocopherylquinone and malondialdehyde concentrations increased. The addition of phytic acid did not affect the digestive stabilities of total tocochromanols and carotenoids, but increased micellarisation efficiencies of carotenoids. In conclusion, phytate did not exert antioxidant effects in maize porridge during cooking or simulated digestion.

The breeder's tool-box for enhancing the content of esterified carotenoids in wheat: From extraction and profiling of carotenoids to marker-assisted selection of candidate genes.

Carotenoid esterification is a new target for cereal biofortification since esterification increases both accumulation and stability of carotenoids. A xanthophyll acyl transferase is responsible for carotenoid esterification in the endosperm of wheat and related cereals. In this chapter we describe the procedures for transferring the carotenoid esterification attribute into wheat using the wild barley Hordeum chilense as donor of the esterification trait, the outline of the breeding program and the protocols for marker assisted selection and the analysis of carotenoids in grain. Biofortified cereals with increased lutein ester content will help to reduce the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration in human populations with limited access to other dietary sources.

Technological applications and color stability of carotenoids extracted from selected Amazonian fruits

In this review, we gathered information regarding the carotenoid composition of selected Amazonian fruits: peach palm (Bactris gasipaes), buriti (Mauritia flexuosa), tucumã (Astrocaryum vulgare), taperebá (Spondias mombin), and araçá-boi (Eugenia stipitata); and also discussed the stability of carotenoid extracts and their potential to be used as natural colorants in foods. Notwithstanding the claimed health benefits, information on technological approaches to the use of carotenoid extracts from Amazonian fruits as natural colorants or antioxidant are quite limited. These findings evidenced the need for more systematic studies assessing the stability of carotenoid extracts of Amazonian fruits and their application as natural food additives.

Red Tomato Products as an Alternative to Reduce Synthetic Dyes in the Food Industry: A Review

Most dyes used in the food industry are synthetic and can be a health hazard. Red tomato may serve as a natural alternative dye to replace synthetic colorants. This study aimed to review the literature on the addition of red tomato products (powder tomato, paste, freeze-dried, tomato peel powder, tomato pomace) to reduce the usage of synthetic dyes in the food industry. Red tomato products have been used as coloring in pasta, bologna, sausages, cookies, crackers, macaroons, hamburgers, breads, muffins, cheeses, and nuggets. The trans-cis isomerization of lycopene by oxidative processes directly affects the color of the pigment. The lycopene contained in tomato has antioxidant activity and could reduce or eliminate other oxidants and/or synthetic preservatives in food. Moreover, tomatoes in foods have high sensory scores, nutritional appeal, and marketing potential. However, its use as a food colorant has been not extensively explored. Therefore, further studies are still required, especially on the stability of carotenoids in tomatoes used in processed foods.

Physiological response of Bajra-Napier Hybrids and Tri-Specific Hybrid to salinity stressPhysiological response of Bajra-Napier Hybrids and Tri-Specific Hybrid to salinity stress

Physiological responses of 3 Bajra-Napier (Cenchrus spp., syn. Pennisetum spp.) hybrid varieties, viz. BNH-3, BNH-6, BNH-10, and 1 ttri-specific hybrid (TSH) were tested under different gradients of soil salinity, i.e. Control, 4, 6 and 8 dS/m electric conductivity (EC), in a pot trial. The experiment was laid out in a factorial completely randomized design with 3 replications. Shoot dry weight, root dry weight, root:shoot ratio and chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll and carotenoid concentrations were reduced with increasing salinity level as compared with Control. However, the concentration of Na+ in leaves increased and K+ concentration decreased with increasing salinity level. Physiological parameters, i.e. relative water content (RWC), membrane stability index (MSI), chlorophyll stability index, carotenoid stability index and K+: Na+ ratio, in leaves tended to be higher in the BNH-3 variety than in other varieties. Shoot dry weight showed highly positive significant correlation with RWC, MSI, K+ concentration and K+:Na+ ratio, while it was negatively correlated with Na+ concentration (P<0.01) All BN hybrid varieties and the tri-specific hybrid studied were susceptible to salinity stress, showing marked reductions in growth as the level of salinity increased above 4 dS/m. However, even at salinity levels producing EC of 8 dS/m these varieties still produced 25‒44% DM yields. There are prospects for improving forage yields from saline soils by planting these hybrids but further breeding studies are warranted to identify germplasm with greater tolerance of saline conditions if these soils are to be utilized effectively to contribute more to supplying forage to support the world’s ruminant population.

Effects of different water activities on the stability of carotenoids in puff-dried yellow peach powder during storage

The stability of carotenoids in puff-dried yellow peach powder during commercial storage under different water activity conditions was studied. The results showed that when the corresponding water activity was above 0.576, the loss of adsorbed water in yellow peach powder was closely related to the crystallinity of the amorphous sugar matrix. However, the adsorption isotherms confirmed by water absorption behavior, X-ray diffraction (XRD) pat-terns, and scanning electron microscopy did not clearly indicate this loss of adsorbed water. The content changes of individual carotenoids (lutein, zeaxanthin, β-cryptoxanthin, α-carotene, and β-carotene) during storage followed pseudo first-order kinetics, and the degradation of lutein and zeaxanthin occurred quickly over time. The stability of total carotenoids gradually increased when the water activity was less than 0.576, but the carotenoids degraded sharply when the water activity was between 0.753 and 0.843. The loss of carotenoids was related to the water absorption and crystallization of the sugar matrix in the powder.

Physicochemical, antioxidant properties of carotenoids and its optoelectronic and interaction studies with chlorophyll pigments

The physicochemical and antioxidant properties of seven carotenoids: antheraxanthin, β-carotene, neoxanthin, peridinin, violaxanthin, xanthrophyll and zeaxanthin were studied by theoretical means. Then the Optoelectronic properties and interaction of chlorophyll-carotenoid complexes are analysed by TDDFT and IGMPLOT. Global reactivity descriptors for carotenoids and chlorophyll (Chla, Chlb) are calculated via conceptual density functional theory (CDFT). The higher HOMO–LUMO (HL) gap indicated structural stability of carotenoid, chlorophyll and chlorophyll-carotenoid complexes. The chemical hardness for carotenoids and Chlorophyll is found to be lower in the solvent medium than in the gas phase. Results showed that carotenoids can be used as good reactive nucleophile due to lower µ and ω. As proton affinities (PAs) are much lower than the bond dissociation enthalpies (BDEs), it is anticipated that direct antioxidant activity in these carotenoids is mainly due to the sequential proton loss electron transfer (SPLET) mechanism with dominant solvent effects. Also lower PAs of carotenoid suggest that antioxidant activity by the SPLET mechanism should be a result of a balance between proclivities to transfer protons. Reaction rate constant with Transition-State Theory (TST) were estimated for carotenoid-Chlorophyll complexes in gas phase. Time dependent Density Functional Theory (TDDFT) showed that all the chlorophyll (Chla, Chlb)–carotenoid complexes show absorption wavelength in the visible region. The lower S1–T1 adiabatic energy gap indicated ISC transition from S1 to T1 state.

Utilization of polysaccharide-based high internal phase emulsion for nutraceutical encapsulation: Enhancement of carotenoid loading capacity and stability

The main goal of the present work was to access the ability of high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) to encapsulate β-carotene. The carotenoid loading capacity of the HIPEs was around 20-fold higher when OSA-starch/chitosan complexes were used than when only OSA-starch was used. This impact could be mainly assigned to the capacity of the former HIPEs to trap carotenoid caystals in a stable form. The OSA-starch/chitosan complexes were shown to absorb on the oil droplets interface and form a 3D network in the aqueous phase, which helped to prevent droplet coalescence induced by β-carotene crystal. The incorporation of β-carotene within the oil droplets enhanced its resistance to chemical degradation when exposed to heat, ultraviolet radiation, or gastrointestinal conditions. Our results provide information that may aid the design and development of edible soft solids containing high carotenoid levels, which may be applied in food and pharmaceutical industry.

Fortification of traditional tapioca “pancakes” from the Brazilian northeast with microencapsulated carrot carotenoid

The feasibility to fortify traditional Brazilian cassava gum and tapioca “pancakes” with carotenoid from carrots was investigated, based on the premise that the process should be applicable as a social technology. Microparticles enriched in carotenoids were prepared by concentrating carrot juice solids using complex coacervation of whey protein isolate and gum arabic in the weight ratio of 1.5:1, and co-dried with cassava starch. Carotenoid content and stability during product application were analyzed for the microparticles and for two product applications: fortified cassava gum, and fortified tapioca “pancakes”. The results showed that complex coacervation can be applied instead of conventional technologies to concentrate carrot juice, resulting in a yield of more than 90% of the initial carotenoid content. The further starch co-drying of this material resulted in a microparticle that retained 79% of initial carotenoid content. Low levels of carotenoid loss (22%) were observed upon preparing tapioca “pancakes” using the fortified cassava gum. The instrumental textural properties of the tapiocas were similar for products fortified with microparticles or by direct carrot juice addition. Furthermore, the use of carotenoid in dry powder form facilitates handling and dosing in artisanal and industrial settings and ensure to target the daily intake.

Stability of carotenoids and carotenoid esters in pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima) slices during hot air drying

The levels of carotenoids and carotenoid esters in pumpkin (C. maxima) slices as affected by hot air drying (60–100 °C, 6–17 h) were assessed via an HPLC-MS/MS method. Among the 25 carotenoids and carotenoid esters identified in pumpkin flesh, xanthophyll diesters (including (all-E)-violaxanthin dipalmitate, lutein 3-O-myristate-3′-O-laurate, lutein 3-O-palmitate-3′-O-laurate, lutein 3-O-myristate-3′-O-palmitate, lutein 3-O-stearate-3′-O-myristate and lutein 3-O-stearate-3′-O-palmitate) accounted for 43% of the total carotenoids (853.6 ± 18.5 μg/g, dried weight). Dihydroxy xanthophylls, especially those containing 5,6-epoxy group, were more heat-labile than carotenes, while xanthophylls were less heat stable than their diester counterparts. The degradation rates (first-order reactions, R2 = 0.983–0.992) for lutein diesters (rate constant: 0.002–0.049 h−1) in pumpkin slices were only 10–20% of that for lutein (rate constant: 0.020–0.243 h−1) during hot air drying, and 76–98% of lutein diesters could be retained in the final dried products.

Thermostability and kinetics analysis of oil color, carotenoids and capsaicinoids in hotpot oil models (butter, rapeseed oil, and their blends)

The thermostability of carotenoids and capsaicinoids in a butter model (B), a rapeseed oil model (RO) and a blended model (BRO) was investigated under heating at 120–180 °C. The kinetic deterioration rate of each compound was described by a first-order kinetic model, while changes in L*, a*, and b* values were fitted to a zero-order model. Moreover, based on activation energy (Ea), the most and least temperature-sensitive oil models were B and RO, respectively. Across all oil models, carotenoid rate constants could be ordered as kcapsanthin > kzeaxanthin > kβ-cryptoxanthin > kβ-carotene > kcapsorubin, and color index values could be ordered as ka > kb > kL. The Ea values of capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin in RO were 52.77 and 51.78 kJ/mol, respectively. Our results suggest that the stability of carotenoids and capsaicinoids can be influenced by the oxidizability and antioxidant content of oil.

Carotenoid-enriched oil preparation and stability analysis during storage: Influence of oils’ chain length and fatty acid saturation

Carotenoids are lipophilic pigments with polyene skeletons, which possess great benefits to human health. In this study, medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) and four long-chain triglycerides (LCTs), namely, soybean oil, sunflower seed oil, palm oil, and cottonseed oil, were applied as carriers to enrich carotenoids from Lycium barbarum L. by the freeze–thaw method. The fatty acid composition, thermal properties, and rheological properties of the carotenoid-enriched oils were determined. The carotenoid retention ratio (CRR) and peroxide value (POV) of the prepared oils were assessed during 56 days of storage. Kinetic analysis was conducted for CRR; meanwhile, a multivariate quadratic regression model was implemented to explain the POV changes. Results showed that the CRR of carotenoid-enriched oils decreased gradually following first-order kinetics. The CRR of MCT with low POV generation rate was significantly (p＜0.05) lower than that of LCTs. Long-chain oils were beneficial for carotenoids stability. The carotenoid-enriched cottonseed oil (CCO) performed the best at 45 °C for 56 days, given the low monounsaturated fatty acids and slow POV generation rate. Thus, oils’ chain length and fatty acid saturation would influence delivery material and delivery carrier stability, LCT with high saturation would be an ideal delivery system for carotenoids.

Study of the properties of carotenoids and key carotenoid biosynthesis genes from Deinococcus xibeiensis R13.

To investigate the properties of carotenoids from the extremophile Deinococcus xibeiensis R13, the factors affecting the stability of carotenoids extracted from D. xibeiensis R13, including temperature, illumination, pH, redox chemicals, metal ions, and food additives, were investigated. The results showed that low temperature, neutral pH, reducing agents, Mn2+ , and food additives (xylose and glucose) can effectively improve the stability of Deinococcus carotenoids. The carotenoids of D. xibeiensis R13 exhibited strong antioxidant activity, with the scavenging rate of hydroxyl radicals reaching 71.64%, which was higher than the scavenging efficiency for 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl free radicals and 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethyl-benzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) free radicals (44.55 and 27.65%, respectively). In addition, the total antioxidant capacity reached 0.60 U/ml, which was 2.61-fold that of carotenoids from the model strain Deinococcus radiodurans R1. Finally, we predicted the gene clusters encoding carotenoid biosynthesis pathways in the genome of R13 and identified putative homologous genes. The key enzyme genes (crtE, crtB, crtI, crtLm, cruF, crtD, and crtO) in carotenoid synthesis of D. xibeiensis R13 were cloned to construct the multigene coexpression plasmids pET-EBI and pRSF-LmFDO. The carotenoid biosynthesis pathway was heterologously introduced into engineered Escherichia coli EBILmFDO, which exhibited a higher yield (7.14mg/L) than the original strain. These analysis results can help us to better understand the metabolic synthesis of carotenoids in extremophiles.