European Database of Carotenoid Levels in Foods. Factors Affecting Carotenoid Content

Abstract

Many studies indicate that diets including carotenoid-rich foods have positive effects on human health. Some of these compounds are precursors of the essential nutrient vitamin A. The present work is aimed at implementing a database of carotenoid contents of foods available in the European market. Factors affecting carotenoid content were also discussed. Analytical data available in peer-reviewed scientific literature from 1990 to 2018 and obtained by HPLC/UHPLC were considered. The database includes foods classified according to the FoodEx2 system and will benefit compilers, nutritionists and other professionals in areas related to food and human health. The results show the importance of food characterization to ensure its intercomparability, as large variations in carotenoid levels are observed between species and among varieties/cultivars/landraces. This highlights the significance of integrating nutritional criteria into agricultural choices and of promoting biodiversity. The uncertainty quantification associated with the measurements of the carotenoid content was very rarely evaluated in the literature consulted. According to the EuroFIR data quality evaluation system for food composition tables, the total data quality index mean was 24 in 35, reflecting efforts by researchers in the analytical methods, and less resources in the sampling plan documentation.

Sea Buckthorn Leaf Powders: The Impact of Cultivar and Drying Mode on Antioxidant, Phytochemical, and Chromatic Profile of Valuable Resource

“…The best preservation of phytochemical compounds, especially the lipophilic ones, is obtained using freeze-drying techniques, as the high drying temperatures in conventional modes result in compound deterioration [ 39 ]. The amounts of determined carotenoids and chlorophylls in HR leaf powders were comparable with the amounts determined in commonly used vegetables [ 23 , 30 ].…”

“…The phenolic compounds determine the pharmacological effects that are associated with the antioxidant activity [ 10 , 21 , 22 ]. Carotenoid intake is associated with a reduced risk of chronic aging-related diseases [ 23 ]. Chlorophylls can suppress radical species from mitochondria and can have antiproliferative effects on cancer cells, as well as modulate the redox status [ 24 ].…”

Assessment of Food Sources and the Intake of the Colourless Carotenoids Phytoene and Phytofluene in Spain

“…This has changed in recent years as studies and reviews conclude that they are among the major carotenoids in many foods and could be involved in health-promoting actions in humans [12][13][14][15][16][17]. Although more studies are now reporting on the level of colorless carotenoids in foods are this information can be found in the latest comprehensive databases on food carotenoid content [18][19][20], carotenoid intakes are mostly unknown as they have only been assessed in a Luxembourg study [15]. The goal of this study is to report on the level of colorless carotenoids in commonly consumed foods in Spain, assess their daily intakes, and identify the major food contributors.…”

Fungi and Algae as Sources of Medicinal and Other Biologically Active Compounds: A Review

“…These conjugated bonds are responsible for the characteristic color of these compounds (yellow, orange or purple). The role of carotenoids in the human body is to protect cells against the lethal combination of light (photoprotection) and oxidation (antioxidation) and to neutralise singlet oxygen, which can release excess internal energy during the oxidation reaction [ 95 , 96 ]. According to research conducted by the United States of Department of Agriculture, preparations containing carotenoids (e.g., Carotenoid Complex TM), when used systematically, increase the activity of the immune system by 37% after only 20 days, increasing resistance to bacterial and viral infections and to AIDS.…”