The Bioavailability of β-Carotene in Stir- or Deep-Fried Vegetables in Men Determined by Measuring the Serum Response to a Single Ingestion

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Abstract
To evaluate the bioavailability of β-carotene from plant foods, the serum β-carotene response to a single ingestion of various β-carotene sources was determined in 10 healthy men. Tested β-carotene sources included stir-fried shredded carrot, stir-fried water convolvulus leaves, deep-fried sweet potato ball, purified β-carotene in a capsule (beadlets) and beadlets with β-carotene free oriental radish (beadlets + radish). The maximal change in serum β-carotene concentration occurred at 24 or 32 h post ingestion. This response to beadlets was significantly higher than that to the other four tested β-carotene sources (P < 0.05). The maximal serum response to beadlets + radish was also significantly higher than that to the three food β-carotene sources (P < 0.05). The maximal serum response to sweet potato was significantly higher than that to water convolvulus leaves (P < 0.05). The bioavailability relative to β-carotene beadlets was calculated by dividing the maximal change in serum concentration to each test meal of each subject by his own serum maximal change in response to beadlets. Accordingly, the bioavailability was 65% for beadlets + radish, 33% for carrots, 26% for water convolvulus leaves and 37% for sweet potatoes. Concurrent ingestion of oriental radish reduced the bioavailability of beadlets to two-thirds of its original value, which partially accounted for the difference between the bioavailability of beadlets and natural foods. The relative bioavailability of β-carotene from stir-fried and deep-fried vegetables was about one-third to one-fourth that of the purified β-carotene beadlets. These bioavailabilities are higher than previously reported values.