Cooking enhances but the degree of ripeness does not affect provitamin A carotenoid bioavailability from bananas in Mongolian gerbils.

Banana is a staple crop in many regions where vitamin A deficiency is prevalent, making it a target for provitamin A biofortification. However, matrix effects may limit provitamin A bioavailability from bananas. The retinol bioefficacies of unripe and ripe bananas (study 1A), unripe high-provitamin A bananas (study 1B), and raw and cooked bananas (study 2) were determined in retinol-depleted Mongolian gerbils (n = 97/study) using positive and negative controls. After feeding a retinol-deficient diet for 6 and 4 wk in studies 1 and 2, respectively, customized diets containing 60, 30, or 15% banana were fed for 17 and 13 d, respectively. In study 1A, the hepatic retinol of the 60% ripe Cavendish group (0.52 ± 0.13 µmol retinol/liver) differed from baseline (0.65 ± 0.15 µmol retinol/liver) and was higher than the negative control group (0.39 ± 0.16 µmol retinol/liver; P < 0.0065). In study 1B, no groups differed from baseline (0.65 ± 0.15 µmol retinol/liver; P = 0.20). In study 2, the 60% raw Butobe group (0.68 ± 0.17 µmol retinol/liver) differed from the 60% cooked Butobe group (0.87 ± 0.24 µmol retinol/liver); neither group differed from baseline (0.80 ± 0.27 µmol retinol/liver; P < 0.0001). Total liver retinol was higher in the groups fed cooked bananas than in those fed raw (P = 0.0027). Body weights did not differ even though gerbils ate more green, ripe, and raw bananas than cooked, suggesting a greater indigestible component. In conclusion, thermal processing, but not ripening, improves the retinol bioefficacy of bananas. Food matrix modification affects carotenoid bioavailability from provitamin A biofortification targets.

Hepatic Vitamin A Concentrations in Vervets (Chlorocebus aethiops) Supplemented with Carotenoids Derived from Oil Palm.

Commonly used in biomedical research, vervets (Chlorocebus aethiops) are omnivorous but primarily meet their vitamin A requirements from provitamin A carotenoids. Hypervitaminosis A has occurred in vervets that consume feed high in preformed vitamin A. We investigated the vitamin A status of vervets supplemented daily with various antioxidants derived from palm oil. Male vervets (n = 40) were placed for 23 wk on a high-fat diet (34.9% energy) containing 645 µ g retinol activity equivalents (RAE), with 515 µ g RAE from preformed vitamin A. Vervets were randomized to 5 treatments (duration, 20 mo): control; 100 mg d-α-tocopheryl acetate; 100 mg oil palm (Elaeis guineensis)-derived vitamin E; 50 mg oil palm-derived vitamin E + 50 mg carotenoid complex + unrestricted palm-derived water-soluble antioxidants; and 5) unrestricted water-soluble antioxidants. Livers (n = 38) were analyzed for vitamin A, α-retinol (α-vitamin A), and carotenoids. Median hepatic vitamin A and total carotenoid concentrations were 6.49 µ mol/g and 4.30 nmol/g, respectively. Compared with controls, vervets fed the carotenoid complex had higher hepatic vitamin A (11.9 ± 5.1 µ mol/g), α -vitamin A (1.3 ± 0.7 µ mol/g), α -carotene (11.5 ± 5.3 nmol/g), ß-carotene (15.6 ± 8.6 nmol/g), and total carotenoids (28.1 ± 13.9 nmol/g) but lower lutein (0.66 ± 0.28 nmol/g) and zeaxanthin (0.24 ± 0.06 nmol). NHP may benefit from replacement of preformed vitamin A with carotenoids in feeds; however, bioconversion efficiency in these models should be investigated to determine optimal levels.

High provitamin A carotenoid serum concentrations, elevated retinyl esters, and saturated retinol-binding protein in Zambian preschool children are consistent with the presence of high liver vitamin A stores.

BACKGROUND: Biomarkers of micronutrient status are needed to best define deficiencies and excesses of essential nutrients. OBJECTIVE: We evaluated several supporting biomarkers of vitamin A status in Zambian children to determine whether any of the biomarkers were consistent with high liver retinol stores determined by using retinol isotope dilution (RID). DESIGN: A randomized, placebo-controlled, biofortified maize efficacy trial was conducted in 140 rural Zambian children from 4 villages. A series of biomarkers were investigated to better define the vitamin A status of these children. In addition to the assessment of total-body retinol stores (TBSs) by using RID, tests included analyses of serum carotenoids, retinyl esters, and pyridoxal-5'-phosphate (PLP) by using high-pressure liquid chromatography, retinol-binding protein by using ELISA, and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity by using a colorimetric assay. RESULTS: Children (n = 133) were analyzed quantitatively for TBSs by using RID. TBSs, retinyl esters, some carotenoids, and PLP differed by village site. Serum carotenoids were elevated above most nonintervened reference values for children. α-Carotene, ß-carotene, and lutein values were >95th percentile from children in the US NHANES III, and 13% of children had hypercarotenemia (defined as total carotenoid concentration >3.7 µmol/L). Although only 2% of children had serum retinyl esters >10% of total retinol plus retinyl esters, 16% of children had >5% as esters, which was consistent with high liver retinol stores. Ratios of serum retinol to retinol-binding protein did not deviate from 1.0, which indicated full saturation. ALT activity was low, which was likely due to underlying vitamin B-6 deficiency, which was confirmed by very low serum PLP concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: The finding of hypervitaminosis A in Zambian children was supported by high circulating concentrations of carotenoids and mildly elevated serum retinyl esters. ALT-activity assays may be compromised with co-existing vitamin B-6 deficiency. Nutrition education to improve intakes of whole grains and animal-source foods may enhance vitamin B-6 status in Zambians.