ResearchCarotenoid content of fruits and vegetables: An evaluation of analytic data☆
Section snippets
METHODS
A system was developed for the evaluation of analytic data for levels of five carotenoids in foods: β-carotene, α-carotene, lutein + zeaxanthin, lycopene, and β-cryptoxanthin. This system was based on those previously described for the evaluation of selenium and copper data 20., 21., 22., but was modified to accommodate carotenoid data evaluation. Objective evaluation was aided by use of an artificial intelligence system that incorporated standardized questions and decision pathways (23).
RESULTS
Table 3, Table 4 provide information on the carotenoid content of fruits and vegetables, the most important food sources of carotenoids. These tables include a median for each food as well as minimum and maximum values where more than one acceptable study was reported. A confidence code, based on both the quality and quantity of existing data, is associated with each carotenoid value. All values in Table 3, Table 4 derive from analytic data.
Table 5 includes the number of acceptable values and a
DISCUSSION
The preceding tables represent the most comprehensive estimates of individual carotenoids in fruits and vegetables. These estimates are derived from critically evaluated published and unpublished sources. Users can review the specific criteria to better understand the rating process and the meaning of the confidence codes assigned to the data. Heinonen and others 18., 19., 27., 31., 32. have published limited data for meats, grains, dairy products, fats and oils, and other foods that suggest
IMPLICATIONS
A primary objective for critically evaluating food composition data is the identification of food items for future laboratory analysis. Foods believed to contain notable amounts of a carotenoid, but that had a confidence code of “C” or had no reliable data, are a priority for additional analyses. Information about those foods can be used as the basis for development of a sampling strategy to obtain statistically representative food samples for carotenoid analysis as has been done for selenium
Acknowledgements
The authors thank Carol S. Davis for creating the tables and figures, Doug Bigwood for computer programming, Frederick Khachik for insightful discussions, and Larry Douglass and Will Potts for statistical advice.
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Partial support by the National Cancer Institute through reimbursable agreement YO1-CN-30609 is acknowledged.