Carotenoid Photostability in Raw Spinach and Carrots During Cold Storage

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Abstract
A reverse‐phase gradient HPLC method was developed for separating xanthophylls, chlorophylls, carotenes and cisβ‐carotene isomers from raw spinach and carrots. The effect of dark and lighted cold storage on pigment stability was studied. Light promoted pigment losses in raw spinach. Degradative losses at 8 days ranged from 60% for violaxanthin to 22% for lutein. Dark, cold storage did not affect carotenoid levels except for all‐transβ‐carotene which showed an 18% loss at 8 days. In raw carrots, neither lighted nor dark cold storage affected major carotenoids. In spinach, the isomeric distribution of β‐carotene showed strong linear correlations between trans and cis forms.