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Beta‐cryptoxanthin as a source of vitamin A
Author(s) -
Burri Betty J
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.6942
Subject(s) - beta carotene , carotenoid , bioavailability , vitamin , beta (programming language) , immune system , antioxidant , functional food , vitamin c , human health , chemistry , biology , food science , medicine , biochemistry , pharmacology , immunology , environmental health , computer science , programming language
Beta‐cryptoxanthin is a common carotenoid that is found in fruit, and in human blood and tissues. Foods that are rich in beta‐cryptoxanthin include tangerines, persimmons and oranges. Beta‐cryptoxanthin has several functions that are important for human health, including roles in antioxidant defense and cell‐to‐cell communication. Most importantly, beta‐cryptoxanthin is a precursor of vitamin A, which is an essential nutrient needed for eyesight, growth, development and immune response. We evaluate the evidence for beta‐cryptoxanthin as a vitamin A‐forming carotenoid in this paper. Observational, in vitro , animal model and human studies suggest that beta‐cryptoxanthin has greater bioavailability from its common food sources than do alpha‐ and beta‐carotene from theirs. Although beta‐cryptoxanthin appears to be a poorer substrate for beta‐carotene 15,15′ oxygenase than is beta‐carotene, animal model and human studies suggest that the comparatively high bioavailability of beta‐cryptoxanthin from foods makes beta‐cryptoxanthin‐rich foods equivalent to beta‐carotene‐rich foods as sources of vitamin A. These results mean that beta‐cryptoxanthin‐rich foods are probably better sources of vitamin A, and more important for human health in general, than previously assumed. Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.