Changes in β-carotene bioaccessibility and concentration during processing of carrot puree

The effect of some process and product factors (addition of olive oil, high pressure homogenisation, subsequent thermal or high pressure pasteurisation) on β-carotene bioaccessibility and isomerisation of carrot puree was investigated. High pressure homogenisation could improve β-carotene bioaccessibility by disrupting cells, but only at a pressure higher than 50 MPa. Softening of the cell walls during a subsequent thermal pasteurisation resulted in a further increase in β-carotene bioaccessibility. Unfortunately, the high temperature also induced formation of some undesirable cis-isomers. As cell walls are probably strengthened by high pressure, high pressure pasteurisation could not positively affect the amount of bioaccessible β-carotene. Moreover, the high pressure process induced β-carotene oxidation. A positive effect of olive oil on β-carotene bioaccessibility could only be noticed in combination with a thermal pasteurisation process when β-carotene was solubilised in the oil droplets. Under high pressure however, oil can be crystallised which hinders the solubilisation of β-carotene.     

Changes in carotenoids during processing and storage of pumpkin puree

Changes in the contents of carotenoids and their true retentions (% TR) during the production of puree of Cucurbita moschata ‘Menina Brasileira’ and of Cucurbita maxima ‘Exposição’ pumpkins and the stability of such compounds during 180 days of storage were monitored by liquid chromatography coupled with a photodiode array detector. Cooking caused higher losses than commercial sterilisation. High losses of xanthophylls such as lutein and violaxanthin were noted during processing and storage of pumpkin puree. Such losses show the low stability of these compounds. The major carotenoids, pro-vitamin A carotenes, namely, α-carotene and all-trans-β-carotene for C. moschata ‘Menina Brasileira’ and all-trans-β-carotene for C. maxima ‘Exposição’ obtained high retentions (>75%) after processing. A slight degree of isomerisation of β-carotene was noted in the puree samples, but with low concentrations of cis-isomers. Storage for 180 days did not significantly affect (P ? 0.05) the concentrations of these carotenoids.     

Effects of High-Pressure Processing with or without Blanching on the Antioxidant and Physicochemical Properties of Mango Pulp

The effects of high-pressure processing (HPP 300 MPa/15 min, 400 MPa/5 min, 500 MPa/2.5 min, and 600 MPa/1 min) and high-temperature/short-time processing (HTST 110 °C/8.6 s), with or without blanching, on mango pulp were comparatively evaluated in terms of the antioxidant compounds, antioxidant capacity, sugars, and color. Blanching treatment significantly increased the total phenol content and the antioxidant capacity of mango pulp, but did not change the levels of L-ascorbic acid, carotenoids, sugars, and visual color (total color difference, △E?<?2.00). Both HPP and HTST treatments significantly increased the total phenol content and antioxidant capacity of un-blanched mango pulp, but no significant changes occurred in the blanched mango pulp. HPP did not affect the levels of L-ascorbic acid, carotenoids, and sugars in mango pulp regardless of blanching. However, HTST significantly decreased the fructose and glucose levels, as well as induced the isomerization of β-carotene, with the increase in 13-cis-β-carotene accompanied by the decrease in all-trans-β-carotene. Moreover, HPP-treated mango pulp consistently showed lower △E values than those HTST-treated samples, regardless of blanching.     

Use of Multi-response Modelling to Investigate Mechanisms of β-Carotene Degradation in Dried Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato During Storage: from Carotenoids to Aroma Compounds

In order to give insight into β-carotene degradation mechanism during the storage of dried orange-fleshed sweet potato, and particularly into the role of isomers and norisoprenoids formation, multi-response kinetic modelling was applied. Determination of degradation compounds were carried out by HPLD-DAD and SPME-GC-MS as a function of time between 10 and 40 °C and at four water activities from 0.13 to 0.76. Kinetic modelling was developed assuming first-order reactions and by using mass balance. Eight compounds, namely, two isomers (9-cis- and 13-cis-β-carotene), two β-carotene epoxides (β-carotene 5,6 and 5,8 epoxide) and four volatile compounds (β-cyclocitral, β-ionone, 5,6-epoxy-β-ionone and dihydroactinidiolide), were integrated into two theoretical reaction schemes. The different models were discriminated according to goodness of fit to experimental data. This work showed that: (1) the formation of cis-isomers from β-carotene preceded oxidation, (2) β-cyclocitral arose directly from β-carotene scission while the other norisoprenoids resulted from β-carotene epoxide degradation, (3) cis-isomers were high reactive compounds. Temperature had a major influence on reaction rates k while water activities only impacted k at values under 0.51. Therefore, multi-response modelling is not only a tool to predict β-carotene degradation but a interesting way to select the appropriate degradation scheme based on the different options presented in literature.     

Analysis of a complex mixture of carotenes from oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) fruit extract

A carotene extract from the fruits of the oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) was analysed by HPLC employing a C₃₀ column for better separation efficiency. A multitude of cis-isomers of α-, β- and γ-carotene were separated. Detailed assignment was possible by subjecting pure standards of α-, β- and γ-carotene to isomerisation and comparing spectral data and order of elution to literature data. α- and β-carotene were found to be the most abundant carotenoids comprising 12.3% and 17.9%, respectively, of a (roughly) 30% oil suspension of oil palm carotenes in vegetable oil. A large proportion (about 40%) of α- and β-carotene was in the form of cis-isomers. The γ-carotene content was found to be 0.38% and other carotenes like phytoene, phytofluene, ζ-carotene, lycopene and possibly β-zeacarotene were found as well but were not quantified.     

Isomerisation kinetics and antioxidant activities of β-carotene in carrots undergoing different drying techniques and conditions

Carrots are known as a natural source of β-carotene. In order to preserve the latter, carrots must generally be processed, and drying is one of the most common methods for processing carrots. During drying β-carotene in carrots suffers degradation. β-Carotene degradation is generally due to thermal degradation and isomerisation. In this work, the drying kinetics as well as the isomerisation kinetics and antioxidant activities of β-carotene in carrots undergoing hot air drying, vacuum drying and low-pressure superheated steam drying (LPSSD) were determined within the temperature range of 60–80 °C and, in the case of vacuum drying and LPSSD, at a pressure of 7 kPa. A high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was used to determine the β-carotene contents and its isomerisation kinetics, while the antioxidant activities of various combinations of all-trans- and cis-forms of β-carotene in carrots were evaluated using the Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) assay.     

Sonication Effect on Bioactive Compounds of Cashew Apple Bagasse

This study describes some effects of high-power ultrasound on cashew apple bagasse. The main objective was to develop an optimized process for sonication of cashew apple bagasse, evaluating the effect of ultrasound on antioxidant compounds. To define the best conditions for sonication, a 2³ factorial central composite design was used changing the independent variables: bagasse/water ratio, ultrasonic power intensity (W/cm²), and processing time (min). Antioxidant compounds such as vitamin C, β-carotene, and total phenolic compounds were determined. The total antioxidant capacity (ABTS(2,2 AZINO BIS (3-ethylbenzo thiazoline 6 sulfonic acid) diammoninum salt and DPPH (2,2-Diphenyl-1-picryl-hidrazil)) was also evaluated. A thermal treatment was carried at the highest temperature reached after sonication (51 °C) to evaluate the heat effect due to a temperature increase during processing. Sonication changed the bagasse aspect from a fibrous residue to a pleasant yellow puree. The maximal concentration of vitamin C, phenolics, and β-carotene was obtained when the processing conditions were as follows: bagasse/water ratio of 1:4 (w/w), ultrasound power intensity of 226 W/cm², and 6 min of processing. The high total phenolic content (2186 mg of gallic acid/100 g DW), vitamin C (148 mg/100 g DW), and β-carotene (12 mg/100 g) obtained proved the sonication efficiency. The antioxidant activity determined by the DPPH and ABTS assays confirmed the suitability of ultrasound for the preparation of antioxidant-rich cashew apple bagasse puree.     

Effect of Novel Processing Techniques on Texture Softening and β-Carotene Content of Thermally Processed Carrots

Effect of novel processing methods was evaluated on product texture and β-carotene content of carrots following acidification to reduce pH from 6.0 to 4.4. Thermal treatments under Conventional (CH-T) and Ohmic heating (OH-T) conditions at 87, 92, and 97 °C, individually and/or in combination with high-pressure processing (HP-T; 400–600 MPa/40–60 °C), were given up to 90 min. A fractional conversion model was used to compute texture softening rate constant, k, and activation energy, E _a. Acid-infused carrot samples had lower k values than the control, implying a better texture retention in acidified products. In order to explore this further, acid-infused and control samples were subjected to selected processing methods for 0, 7, and 25 min representing minimal, optimum, and over-processing conditions, respectively. Texture value, pectin depolymerization by β-elimination, demethoxylation, cell microstructure modification, and β-carotene content were evaluated. Results showed that acid-infused samples retained significantly (p?≤?0.05) better texture than the untreated ones. Pectin depolymerization by β-elimination was greater (p?≤?0.05) in control samples than acid-infused samples. In contrast, pectin depolymerization by demethoxylation showed no such differences (p?>?0.05) with acid-infused samples. This indicates that pectin degradation was more dominated by β-elimination than demethoxylation, and these results concurred with the cell microstructure observations of processed carrots. Thermal and HP-T processing after acid infusion reduced the β-carotene content of carrots more than in control. However, mild heat treatment of carrots at 97 °C under CH-T and OH-T enhanced the β-carotene levels to higher than in raw control carrot samples.     

Effect of heating on solid β-carotene

The effect of heating on isomerisation and stability of solid β-carotene was investigated, and the products generated by heating were analysed by a number of analytical techniques, including high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), UV/VIS-spectroscopy (UV) and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). For the first time, isomerisation of cis- to all-trans-isomer was demonstrated in partly melted solid β-carotene when β-carotene was heated at 90 and 140 °C. Only a few high molecular weight components were detected by GPC when β-carotene was heated in a nitrogen environment. In contrast, more high molecular weight polymers, as well as low molecular fragments, were produced when β-carotene was heated and exposed to air, suggesting that polymerisation was one of the dominant side-reactions of β-carotene change, in addition to degradation.     

Effects of variety, ripening condition and ripening stage on the quality of sulphite-free dried mango slices

The influence of cultivar and fruit ripeness on sensory properties and all-trans-β-carotene contents of dried mango slices was evaluated. Different ripeness stages, quantitatively defined by a ripening index (RPI), were generated from a single lot per cultivar by subjecting mature-green mangoes of the cultivars ‘Nam Dokmai’, ‘Kaew’, and ‘Chok Anan’ to different postharvest ripening regimes. Fruits were ripened for 2 and 3 days at 24±2 °C/45–60% relative humidity (RH) and 33±2 °C/50–70% RH, with application of calcium carbide (CaC₂) or 2-chloroethylphosphonic acid (CEPA, Ride^®) beside the control, terminating postharvest ripening when fruit firmness allowed proper peeling and slicing. After ripening, fruits were washed, peeled, sliced and subsequently dried in a conventional tray dryer at 70 °C for 8–10 h, until the water activity of the dried fruits was below 0.65. Mangoes cv. ‘Kaew’, followed by ‘Chok Anan’, were more suitable for drying than cv. ‘Nam Dokmai’ because of superior all-trans-β-carotene contents of the products. Maximum β-carotene contents of dried mango slices from cvs. ‘Chok Anan’ and ‘Kaew’ corresponded to retinol equivalents of 333–383 and 483–905 per 100 g of edible portion (dry weight), meeting daily mean requirements of vitamin A for adults according to FAO/WHO. Similar to the fresh fruit, exponential rise of all-trans-β-carotene contents with increasing fruit ripeness was also observed for the dried products of cvs. ‘Nam Dokmai’ and ‘Chok Anan’. Consistently, accelerated ripening at 33 °C, instead of 24 °C, resulted in higher all-trans-β-carotene contents of dried fruits. Both good sensory acceptance and cultivar-specific maximum all-trans-β-carotene contents of 13–16 and 20–23 mg kg^?1 usually characterised the products of ‘Nam Dokmai’ and ‘Chok Anan’ fruits with RPI levels between 3 and 4. Conversely, fruits cv. ‘Kaew’ of RPI levels above 6 generally yielded products inferior in sensory acceptance and β-carotene contents, while superior product quality was found at higher RPI levels than for the other two cultivars.     

Characterization of the Photodegradation of β-Carotene in Aqueous Model Systems

The photodegradation of β-carotene in model dispersions was studied to gain a better understanding of carotene stability in foods. Aqueous dispersions were exposed to 250 ft-c of light at varied times and temperatures. Analysis was by HPLC and spectrophotometry. Degradation reactions fit a first-order kinetic model. Temperature, physical state and β-carotene microenvironment had some influence on degradation rates. cis-isomers of β-carotene were present and the relative amounts of cis-isomers increased with time of exposure.     

High Hydrostatic Pressure and Temperature Applied to Preserve the Antioxidant Compounds of Mango Pulp (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Mangifera indica</Emphasis> L.)

High hydrostatic pressure (HHP) processes combined with moderate heating can be used to preserve foods while maintaining general quality. The effect of these conditions on the total phenolic (TP), vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid (AA)), carotenoids, and antioxidant activity (AOA) of mango purees was evaluated. Purees were processed at 400–550 MPa/34 and 59 °C at different holding times. Unprocessed puree had TP of 26.6 mg gallic acid/100 g, 21.1 mg L-ascorbic acid/100 g, AOA of 885 μmol trolox equivalents/100 g, and total carotenoids of 6.0 mg β-carotene/100 g. HHP treatments increased the phenolic concentrations up to 34% (550 MPa/59 °C/2 and 4 min) compared with the initial content, probably due to improvement of their extraction. AA content was reduced significantly (10–45%) after all HHP processes performed at 59 °C, while at 34 °C, they were diminished only after 8 and 16 min of treatment (13–26%). At 34 °C and lower times, AA concentration increased in average 18%. Total carotenoid retention in HHP-treated samples varies from 77 to 98%, being the higher the temperature the lower the retention observed. The concentration of most individual carotenoids remains unchanged, but violaxanthin content was reduced (21–26%) and 9-cis-violaxanthin was increased by about 10%. The AOA was also increased (up to 39%) at some processing conditions. A linear correlation between the TP and AOA was obtained. HHP at 550 MPa combined with moderate temperature (34 °C) at processing times up to 8 min is recommended for the maximum retention of the antioxidant compounds of mango puree.     

The Inactivation Kinetics of Soluble and Membrane-Bound Polyphenol Oxidase in Pear during Thermal and High-Pressure Processing

Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) from pear was characterized with catechol as substrate. The Michaelis constant of soluble and membrane-bound PPO were 15.6 and 23.8 mM, respectively, and their optimum pH for activity were 6.0 and 6.5, respectively. The inactivation kinetics of soluble and membrane-bound PPO during thermal (45–75 °C) and high-pressure thermal processing (600 MPa, 40–80 °C) were studied. The inactivation kinetics of pear PPO were described by a first-order model at all processing conditions. Compared to soluble PPO, membrane-bound PPO was more sensitive to thermal and high-pressure inactivation. Both soluble and membrane-bound PPO displayed higher sensitivity towards thermal inactivation at pH 3.5 (pH of pear puree made from pears dipped in citric acid prior to blending) compared to pH 4.4 (pH of non-acidified pear puree). High pressure and temperature had synergistic inactivation effects on pear PPO at pH 4.4 while slight antagonistic effects were observed at pH 3.5.     

Impact of Thermal and Pressure-Based Technologies on Carotenoid Retention and Quality Attributes in Tomato Juice

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of thermal processing (TP) (90 °C, 90 s), high-pressure processing (HPP) (600 MPa, 46 °C, 5 min), and high-pressure homogenization (HPH) (246 MPa, 99 °C, <1 s) on product quality parameters, specifically carotenoid content, and physicochemical attributes of particle size, color, viscosity, total soluble solids, and pH in tomato juice. Unprocessed tomato juice was used as control. The four major species of carotenoids (lycopene, β-carotene, phytoene, and phytofluene) in tomato juice were analyzed by HPLC. The content of total lycopene, all-trans-lycopene, cis-lycopene isomers,  phytoene, and phytofluene, in TP-, HPP-, and HPH-treated tomato juice did not significantly differ from that in unprocessed (control) juice. Significant reduction in β-carotene content was observed after TP treatment but not after HPP and HPH treatments. HPH significantly reduced tomato juice particle volume mean diameter from ～330 μm in control, HPP-, and TP-treated tomato juices to ～17 μm. A concomitant increase in apparent viscosity was observed in HPH-treated juice versus control. HPH-treated juice had increased redness (a*) and yellowness (b*) than that in control and HPP-treated tomato juices. These results indicate that high-pressure-based technologies (HPP and HPH) can preserve carotenoids as well as improve physicochemical properties.     

Analysis of Anabaena vaginicola and Nostoc calcicola from Northern Iran,as rich sources of major carotenoids

Four major carotenoids of high nutritional significance, including β-carotene, lycopene, lutein and zeaxanthin were determined in three isolates of heterocystous cyanobacteria, belonging to the genera Anabaena and Nostoc, isolated from Iranian terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, for the first time. The ultrasonically extracted carotenoids were identified and quantified by a rapid and sensitive isocratic HPLC method and identification was further confirmed by spiking authentic standards and the pattern of the UV–Vis spectra obtained from photo-diode array detector. The results showed that these isolates contain large amounts of four major carotenoids, especially lycopene (up to 24570 μg/g dry weight, DW) which appears to be the highest reported amount until present; and β-carotene (up to 8133 μg/g DW) which is comparable with the best natural sources of β-carotene. Meanwhile, they are rich in the cis-isomers of lycopene and β-carotene which is important in their bioavailability and health benefits.     

Nutritional and rheological characterization of spray dried sweetpotato powder

Spray drying feasibility of sweetpotato puree is enhanced using alpha-amylase treatment to reduce puree viscosity and maltodextrin (MD) addition to facilitate drying. To better determine potential applications of powders produced with various levels of amylase and MD, nutrient composition and rheological properties of the hydrated spray dried sweetpotato powders were examined and compared with sweetpotato puree. Proximate composition, beta-carotene, vitamin C, and mineral analyses were performed. Steady shear rheology of reconstituted powder solutions was also evaluated at different temperatures and shear rates. Spray drying significantly reduced the β-carotene and ascorbic acid contents. Additionally, the all-trans form of beta-carotene was further transformed to the cis-isomers during dehydration. The viscosity of the reconstituted solutions was much lower than that of the puree at the same solid concentration. Rheologically, the reconstituted sweetpotato slurries behaved similarly to pregelatinized starch solutions. Thus, spray dried sweetpotato powders have a potential to enhance food systems as a thickener despite the need for increased nutrient retention.     

Degradation and isomerization of chlorophyll a and β-carotene as affected by various heating and illumination treatments

The degradation and isomerization of β-carotene and chlorophyll a as affected by oven-heating, reflux-heating, iodine-catalysed illumination, and non-iodine-catalysed illumination, were studied. Results showed that the degradations of both total β-carotene and chlorophyll a may fit the first-order model under either heating or illumination treatment. 13-cis-β-Carotene and 13,15-di-cis-β-carotene were the major cis isomers of β-carotene formed during oven heating, while 13-cis-β-carotene was favoured during reflux heating. For illumination with or without iodine as catalyst, 13,15-di-cis-β-carotene was the major cis isomer of β-carotene formed. The formation of 13,15-di-cis-β-carotene may be due to conversion of either 13-cis- or 15-cis-β-carotene. No epimerization of chlorophyll a was observed as a result of illumination.     

Evaluating the Effectiveness of β-Carotene Extraction from Pulsed Electric Field-Treated Carrot Pomace Using Oil-in-Water Microemulsion

Thermodynamically stable microemulsions were used to extract β-carotene from pulsed electric field (PEF)-treated carrot pomace. In this study, a three-level Box–Behnken design was used to predict the effect of extraction time (10–110 min), extraction temperature (30–70 °C) and carrot/microemulsion ratio (1:30–1:90 w/w) on the β-carotene content, polydispersity index (PDI) and particle size of the microemulsions. The β-carotene extracted from PEF-treated carrot pomace using microemulsions was higher than untreated carrot pomace. The extraction efficiency of β-carotene using microemulsions was higher compared to 100 % hexane or 100 % glycerol monocaprylocaprate oil. A mathematical model was developed to predict the optimal extraction conditions using transparent microemulsions with high loading of β-carotene, low PDI and small microemulsion particle size. The model predicted that an extraction time of 49.4 min, temperature of 52.2 °C and carrot/microemulsion ratio of 1:70 (w/w) would result in microemulsions with β-carotene loading of 19.6 μg/g, PDI of 0.27 and particle size of 74 nm. This study demonstrates the potential of using oil-in-water microemulsions as extraction media for β-carotene. Figure

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Ultra-performance liquid chromatographic separation of geometric isomers of carotenoids and antioxidant activities of 20 tomato cultivars and breeding lines

All-trans-lutein, lycopene, β-carotene and their 22 cis-isomers in 20 tomato breeding were separated and identified by a rapid and sensitive UPLC method using a 1.7 μm C₁₈ column and a new gradient mobile phase based on methanol-MTBE-water in 15 min. All-trans-carotenoids were predominant, but 9-cis, 13-cis-lutein, 5-cis, 9-cis, 13-cis, 15-cis, di-cis-lycopene, 9-cis, 13-cis, 15-cis and di-cis-β-carotene were also found. The cis-isomers were identified using absorption around 330 nm and the Q-ratio. The total antioxidant activities as evaluated by PCL and DPPH assays were found to correlate well with the total carotenoid content, but not with the individual carotenoid or its different isomers. This paper provides an efficient analytical method for obtaining a complete picture of carotenoids in tomatoes. It can be a valuable tool for plant breeders, food processors and researchers in developing designer tomatoes and tomato-products with unique carotenoid compositions, and functional properties.