Bioefficacy of provitamin a carotenes: implications of recent consensus for the shortening and edible oil industry

Solomons, Noel W. (2005) Bioefficacy of provitamin a carotenes: implications of recent consensus for the shortening and edible oil industry. [Proceedings Paper]

Hypovitaminosis A is a major public health problem in developing countries. Two dietary vitamin A options are available: preformed vitamin A (a retinoid) or provitamin A (various carotenes). The carotenes must be cleaved (or "bioconverted") to yield the one or two moieties of essential retinoids (vitamin A) contained in their molecular structure. The "bioefficacy" of provitamin A carotenes can be defined as the amount of dietary carotene need to produce one unit of active vitamin A when the bioconversion system is required to work at maximum capacity (as would occur in a vitamin A-deficient individual). The maximal efficiency of this process for beta-carotene imbedded in a plant matrix of green vegetables or yellow or orange fruits is a yield of one unit of vitamin A from 12 units of carotene. When beta-carotene is matrix-free dissolved in lipid, however, one can expect it maximally to yield a unit of vitamin A from two units of the carotene. The high potential for provitamin A dissolved in an oil or fat matrix, in edible oils or shortening, to provide vitamin A nutrition to individual with a deficiency of the vitamin provides a public health opportunity to create pigment-rich edible oils and shortenings. With creative ingenuity and an understanding of local cultures, acceptable dish recipes to serve as vehicles for fat-based carotene concentrates. This presents new, value-added opportunities for the edible oil and shortening industries.

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Abstract

Hypovitaminosis A is a major public health problem in developing countries. Two dietary vitamin A options are available: preformed vitamin A (a retinoid) or provitamin A (various carotenes). The carotenes must be cleaved (or "bioconverted") to yield the one or two moieties of essential retinoids (vitamin A) contained in their molecular structure. The "bioefficacy" of provitamin A carotenes can be defined as the amount of dietary carotene need to produce one unit of active vitamin A when the bioconversion system is required to work at maximum capacity (as would occur in a vitamin A-deficient individual). The maximal efficiency of this process for beta-carotene imbedded in a plant matrix of green vegetables or yellow or orange fruits is a yield of one unit of vitamin A from 12 units of carotene. When beta-carotene is matrix-free dissolved in lipid, however, one can expect it maximally to yield a unit of vitamin A from two units of the carotene. The high potential for provitamin A dissolved in an oil or fat matrix, in edible oils or shortening, to provide vitamin A nutrition to individual with a deficiency of the vitamin provides a public health opportunity to create pigment-rich edible oils and shortenings. With creative ingenuity and an understanding of local cultures, acceptable dish recipes to serve as vehicles for fat-based carotene concentrates. This presents new, value-added opportunities for the edible oil and shortening industries.

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Item Type:	Proceedings Paper
Additional Information:	Available at Perpustakaan Sultan Abdul Samad, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. TP684 P3I61 2005 Call Number
AGROVOC Term:	provitamins
AGROVOC Term:	carotenoids
AGROVOC Term:	shortening
AGROVOC Term:	food industry
AGROVOC Term:	food fortification
AGROVOC Term:	food processing
AGROVOC Term:	consumers
AGROVOC Term:	chemistry industry
AGROVOC Term:	nutritional status
Geographical Term:	United States
Depositing User:	Nor Hasnita Abdul Samat
Date Deposited:	01 Nov 2025 12:08
Last Modified:	10 Nov 2025 01:09
URI:	http://webagris.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/1231

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