The Xanthophyll Composition of Biofortified Maize (Zea mays Sp.) Does Not Influence the Bioefficacy of Provitamin A Carotenoids in Mongolian Gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus)

2008 ◽  
Vol 56 (15) ◽  
pp. 6745-6750 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher R. Davis ◽  
Julie A. Howe ◽  
Torbert R. Rocheford ◽  
Sherry A. Tanumihardjo
Keyword(s):  
Zea Mays ◽  
Meriones Unguiculatus ◽  
Provitamin A ◽  
Mongolian Gerbils ◽  
Provitamin A Carotenoids

scholarly journals Cassava with enhanced β-carotene maintains adequate vitamin A status in Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) despite substantial cis-isomer content

2009 ◽  
Vol 102 (3) ◽  
pp. 342-349 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie A. Howe ◽  
Bussie Maziya-Dixon ◽  
Sherry A. Tanumihardjo
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin A ◽  
Vitamin A Deficiency ◽  
Meriones Unguiculatus ◽  
Provitamin A ◽  
Carotenoid Content ◽  
Mongolian Gerbils ◽  
Serum Retinol ◽  
Vitamin A Status ◽  
Isomer Content ◽  
Β Carotene

Efforts to increase β-carotene in cassava have been successful, but the ability of high-β-carotene cassava to prevent vitamin A deficiency has not been determined. Two studies investigated the bioefficacy of provitamin A in cassava and compared the effects of carotenoid content and variety on vitamin A status in vitamin A-depleted Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus). Gerbils were fed a vitamin A-free diet 4 weeks prior to treatment. In Expt 1, treatments (ten gerbils per group) included 45 % high-β-carotene cassava, β-carotene and vitamin A supplements (intake matched to high-β-carotene cassava group), and oil control. In Expt 2, gerbils were fed cassava feeds with 1·8 or 4·3 nmol provitamin A/g prepared with two varieties. Gerbils were killed after 4 weeks. For Expt 1, liver vitamin A was higher (P < 0·05) in the vitamin A (1·45 (sd 0·23) μmol/liver), lower in the control (0·43 (sd 0·10) μmol/liver), but did not differ from the β-carotene group (0·77 (sd 0·12) μmol/liver) when compared with the high-β-carotene cassava group (0·69 (sd 0·20) μmol/liver). The bioconversion factor was 3·7 μg β-carotene to 1 μg retinol (2 mol:1 mol), despite 48 % cis-β-carotene [(Z)-β-carotene] composition in cassava. In Expt 2, cassava feed with 4·3 nmol provitamin A/g maintained vitamin A status. No effect of cassava variety was observed. Serum retinol concentrations did not differ. β-Carotene was detected in livers of gerbils receiving cassava and supplements, but the cis-to-trans ratio in liver differed from intake. Biofortified cassava adequately maintained vitamin A status and was as efficacious as β-carotene supplementation in the gerbil model.

Retention of Provitamin A Carotenoids in High β-Carotene Maize (Zea mays) During Traditional African Household Processing

2007 ◽  
Vol 55 (26) ◽  
pp. 10744-10750 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shanshan Li ◽  
Francis A. K. Tayie ◽  
Melissa F. Young ◽  
Torbert Rocheford ◽  
Wendy S. White
Keyword(s):  
Zea Mays ◽  
Provitamin A ◽  
Provitamin A Carotenoids ◽  
Β Carotene ◽  
Household Processing

scholarly journals Mongolian Gerbils Can Utilize Provitamin-A Carotenoids in Deep-Fried Carrot Chips

2002 ◽  
Vol 132 (2) ◽  
pp. 211-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmad Sulaeman ◽  
David W. Giraud ◽  
M. Michelle Naslund ◽  
Judy A. Driskell
Keyword(s):  
Provitamin A ◽  
Mongolian Gerbils ◽  
Provitamin A Carotenoids ◽  
Carrot Chips

scholarly journals β-Cryptoxanthin from supplements or carotenoid-enhanced maize maintains liver vitamin A in Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) better than or equal to β-carotene supplements

2008 ◽  
Vol 100 (4) ◽  
pp. 786-793 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Davis ◽  
Hua Jing ◽  
Julie A. Howe ◽  
Torbert Rocheford ◽  
Sherry A. Tanumihardjo
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin A ◽  
Cottonseed Oil ◽  
Meriones Unguiculatus ◽  
Mongolian Gerbils ◽  
Institute Of Medicine ◽  
Retinyl Acetate ◽  
Provitamin A Carotenoids ◽  
And Control ◽  
Β Carotene ◽  
Better Than

Maize with enhanced provitamin A carotenoids (biofortified), accomplished through conventional plant breeding, maintains vitamin A (VA) status in Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus). Two studies in gerbils compared the VA value of β-cryptoxanthin with β-carotene. Study 1 (n 47) examined oil supplements and study 2 (n 46) used maize with enhanced β-cryptoxanthin and β-carotene. After 4 weeks' depletion, seven or six gerbils were killed; remaining gerbils were placed into weight-matched groups of 10. In study 1, daily supplements were cottonseed oil, and 35, 35 or 17·5 nmol VA (retinyl acetate), β-cryptoxanthin or β-carotene, respectively, for 3 weeks. In study 2, one group of gerbils was fed a 50 % biofortified maize diet which contained 2·9 nmol β-cryptoxanthin and 3·2 nmol β-carotene/g feed. Other groups were given equivalent β-carotene or VA supplements based on prior-day intake from the biofortified maize or oil only for 4 weeks. In study 1, liver retinol was higher in the VA (0·74 (sd 0·11) μmol) and β-cryptoxanthin (0·65 (sd 0·10) μmol) groups than in the β-carotene (0·49 (sd 0·13) μmol) and control (0·41 (sd 0·16) μmol) groups (P < 0·05). In study 2, the VA (1·17 (sd 0·19) μmol) and maize (0·71 (sd 0·18) μmol) groups had higher liver retinol than the control (0·42 (sd 0·16) μmol) group (P < 0·05), whereas the β-carotene (0·57 (sd 0·21) μmol) group did not. Bioconversion factors (i.e. 2·74 μg β-cryptoxanthin and 2·4 μg β-carotene equivalents in maize to 1 μg retinol) were lower than the Institute of Medicine values.

scholarly journals Maize Genotype and Food Matrix Affect the Provitamin A Carotenoid Bioefficacy from Staple and Carrot-Fortified Feeds in Mongolian Gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus)

2013 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
pp. 136-143 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samantha Schmaelzle ◽  
Bryan Gannon ◽  
Serra Crawford ◽  
Sara A. Arscott ◽  
Shellen Goltz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Meriones Unguiculatus ◽  
Provitamin A ◽  
Mongolian Gerbils ◽  
Food Matrix ◽  
Maize Genotype

scholarly journals Small quantities of carotenoid-rich tropical green leafy vegetables indigenous to Africa maintain vitamin A status in Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus)

2010 ◽  
Vol 103 (11) ◽  
pp. 1594-1601 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard A. Ejoh ◽  
Joseph T. Dever ◽  
Jordan P. Mills ◽  
Sherry A. Tanumihardjo
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin A ◽  
Hibiscus Cannabinus ◽  
Leafy Vegetables ◽  
Provitamin A ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Mongolian Gerbils ◽  
Retinyl Acetate ◽  
Provitamin A Carotenoids ◽  
Vitamin A Status ◽  
Β Carotene

Leafy vegetables are important sources of provitamin A carotenoids. Information on their ability to provide vitamin A is often misleading because of the methodology used to assess bioefficacy. Mongolian gerbils were used to evaluate the bioefficacy of provitamin A carotenoids in tropical leafy vegetables (i.e. Solanum nigrum, Moringa oleifera, Vernonia calvoana and Hibiscus cannabinus) that are indigenous to Africa. Gerbils (n 67) were vitamin A-depleted for 5 weeks. After a baseline kill (n 7), the gerbils were weight-matched and assigned to six treatment groups (n 10; four vegetable groups; negative and positive controls). For 4 weeks, the treatments included 35 nmol vitamin A (theoretical concentrations based on 100 % bioefficacy) in the form of vegetables or retinyl acetate. In addition to their diets, the control and vegetable groups received daily doses of oil, while the vitamin A group received retinyl acetate in oil matched to prior day intake. Serum and livers were analysed for vitamin A using HPLC. Serum retinol concentrations did not differ among groups, but total liver vitamin A of the vitamin A and vegetable groups were higher than that of the negative control group (P < 0·0001). Liver β-carotene 15,15′-monooxygenase-1 expression levels were determined for two vegetable groups and were similar to the positive and negative controls. Conversion factors for the different leafy vegetables were between 1·9 and 2·3 μg β-carotene equivalents to 1 μg retinol. Small quantities of these vegetables maintained vitamin A status in gerbils through efficient bioconversion of β-carotene to retinol.

scholarly journals Provitamin A-biofortified maize consumption increases serum xanthophylls and 13C-natural abundance of retinol in Zambian children

2017 ◽  
Vol 242 (15) ◽  
pp. 1508-1514 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jesse Sheftel ◽  
Bryan M Gannon ◽  
Christopher R Davis ◽  
Sherry A Tanumihardjo
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin A ◽  
Natural Abundance ◽  
Provitamin A ◽  
Dietary Vitamin ◽  
Mongolian Gerbils ◽  
Serum Retinol ◽  
Provitamin A Carotenoids ◽  
Effectiveness Studies ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Β Carotene

Plants that undergo C4 photosynthesis, such as maize, are enriched in the stable isotope of carbon (13C) compared with other dietary plants and foods. Consumption of maize that has been biofortified to contain elevated levels of provitamin A carotenoids (orange maize) increased the abundance of 13C in serum retinol of Mongolian gerbils. We evaluated this method in humans to determine if it has potential for further use in intervention effectiveness studies. A random subset of samples from a two-month randomized controlled feeding trial of rural three- to five-year old Zambian children were used to determine the impact of orange maize intake on serum carotenoid concentrations ( n = 88) and 13C-natural abundance in serum retinol ( n = 77). Concentrations of β-cryptoxanthin (a xanthophyll provitamin A carotenoid) and the dihydroxy xanthophylls lutein and zeaxanthin, which do not have vitamin A activity, were elevated in children consuming orange maize compared with those consuming a white maize control ( P < 0.001), while β-carotene was not different ( P > 0.3). Furthermore, 13C natural abundance was higher after two months’ intervention in the orange maize group compared with the white maize group ( P = 0.049). Predictions made from equations developed in the aforementioned gerbil study estimated that maize provided 11% (2–21%, 95% confidence interval) of the recent dietary vitamin A to these children. These results demonstrate that orange maize is efficacious at providing retinol to the vitamin A pool in children through provitamin A carotenoids, as monitored by the change in 13C enrichment, which was not reflected in serum β-carotene concentrations. Further effectiveness studies in countries who have adopted orange maize should consider determining differences in retinol 13C-enrichment among target groups in addition to profiling serum xanthophyll carotenoids with specific emphasis on zeaxanthin. Impact statement Maize biofortified with provitamin A carotenoids (orange) has been released in some African markets. Responsive and sensitive methods to evaluate dissemination effectiveness are needed. This study investigated methods to evaluate effectiveness of orange maize consumption using serum from Zambian children fed orange maize for two months. Many varieties of orange maize contain higher amounts of the xanthophyll carotenoids in addition to β-carotene compared with typical varieties. This study uniquely showed higher concentrations of the maize xanthophylls lutein, zeaxanthin, and β-cryptoxanthin in children who consumed orange maize compared with white. Furthermore, maize is a C4 plant and is therefore naturally enriched with 13C. Higher 13C was detected in the serum retinol of the orange maize consumers with no change in serum β-carotene concentration suggesting preferential bioconversion to retinol. The combined analyses of serum zeaxanthin specifically and 13C-natural abundance of retinol could prove useful in effectiveness studies between orange maize adopters and non-adopters.

Vitamin A Value of Plant Food Provitamin A - Evaluated by the Stable Isotope Technologies

2014 ◽  
Vol 84 (Supplement 1) ◽  
pp. 25-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guangwen Tang
Keyword(s):  
Stable Isotope ◽  
Vitamin A ◽  
Provitamin A ◽  
Animal Origin ◽  
Plant Food ◽  
Plant Foods ◽  
A Value ◽  
Provitamin A Carotenoids ◽  
Β Carotene

Humans need vitamin A and obtain essential vitamin A by conversion of plant foods rich in provitamin A and/or absorption of preformed vitamin A from foods of animal origin. The determination of the vitamin A value of plant foods rich in provitamin A is important but has challenges. The aim of this paper is to review the progress over last 80 years following the discovery on the conversion of β-carotene to vitamin A and the various techniques including stable isotope technologies that have been developed to determine vitamin A values of plant provitamin A (mainly β-carotene). These include applications from using radioactive β-carotene and vitamin A, depletion-repletion with vitamin A and β-carotene, and measuring postprandial chylomicron fractions after feeding a β-carotene rich diet, to using stable isotopes as tracers to follow the absorption and conversion of plant food provitamin A carotenoids (mainly β-carotene) in humans. These approaches have greatly promoted our understanding of the absorption and conversion of β-carotene to vitamin A. Stable isotope labeled plant foods are useful for determining the overall bioavailability of provitamin A carotenoids from specific foods. Locally obtained plant foods can provide vitamin A and prevent deficiency of vitamin A, a remaining worldwide concern.

scholarly journals Bioavailability of β-carotene (βC) from purple carrots is the same as typical orange carrots while high-βC carrots increase βC stores in Mongolian gerbils(Meriones unguiculatus)

2006 ◽  
Vol 96 (2) ◽  
pp. 258-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mandy Porter Dosti ◽  
Jordan P. Mills ◽  
Philipp W. Simon ◽  
Sherry A. Tanumihardjo
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Vitamin A ◽  
Phenolic Acids ◽  
Health Problem ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Meriones Unguiculatus ◽  
Mongolian Gerbils ◽  
Alternative Source ◽  
Β Carotene

Vitamin A (VA) deficiency is a worldwide public health problem. Biofortifying existing sources of β-carotene (βC) and increasing dietary βC could help combat the issue. Two studies were performed to investigate the relative βC bioavailability of a βC supplement to purple, high-βC orange, and typical orange carrots using Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus). In study 1, which used a traditional bioavailability design, gerbils (n32) received a diet containing orange, purple, or white carrot powder, or white carrot powder +a βC supplement. In study 2, which included βC-biofortified carrots, gerbils (n 39) received orange, high-βC orange, purple, or white carrot powder in their diet. Both studies lasted 21 d and the gerbils were killed to determine the effect of carrot type or supplement on serum and liver βC, α-carotene, and VA concentrations. Liver stores of βC or VA in the gerbils did not differ between orange and purple carrot diets when equal amounts of βC from each of the diets were consumed (P>0·05). Both the orange and purple carrot diet resulted in higher liver VA compared with the supplement (P<0·05). High-βC carrots resulted in more than 2-fold higher βC and 1·1 times greater VA liver stores compared with typical orange carrots (P<0·05). These results suggest that high-βC carrots may be an alternative source of VA to typical carrots in areas of VA deficiency. Second, phenolics including anthocyanins and phenolic acids in purple carrot do not interfere with the bioavailability of βC from purple carrots.

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