β-Carotene is the precursor of vitamin A, and also exhibits multiple pharmaceutical functions by itself. In comparison to chemical synthesis, the production of β-carotene in microbes by metabolic engineering strategy is relatively inexpensive. Identifying genes enhancing β-carotene production in microbes is important for engineering a strain of producing higher yields of β-carotene. Most of pre...

The analysis of beta-carotene and lycopene, the two predominant carotenoids in human serum and tissues, was extended to the level of geometrical (cis-trans) isomers by using an improved reversed-phase HPLC methodology. We separated five geometrical isomers of beta-carotene and seven of lycopene in human serum and tissues. 13-cis-beta-Carotene was identified as the predominant cisisomer in human...

 ABSTRACT Background: Dietary antioxidant intake has been reported to be inversely associated with coronary miery disease. To clarify the possible role oflipophilic antioxidants in the prevention of atherosclerosis, we investigated the effects ofubiquinol-1 0 and ~-carotene on the susceptibility oflow-density lipoprotein(LD L) to oxidative modification. Methods: In this study, first "u...

The effects of six different polyglycerol esters of fatty acids (PGEs) as nonionic emulsi fiers on the physicochemical properties and stability of β-carotene nanoparticles in oil-in-water dispersions prepared by solvent displacement technique were investigated. The β-carotene particle size was measured by a laser diffraction technique, and the stability and retention of β-carotene during storag...

background: vitamin a which is found in different tissuesand organs plays a particular role in detecting clinical signs invarious deficiency conditions. however, sometimes the marginaldeficiency is present in a way that clinical signs are not visible butperformance defects, such as infertility is seen. objectives: inthis study, the normal baseline levels of vitamin aand β-carotene inclinically ...

Carotenoids, Metabolism, [14C]/?-Carotene, Insects, Carausius morosus [14C]/?-Carotene was fed to juvenile stick insects, Carausius morosus, o f the fifth instar. Radio­ activity was incorporated into 2-hydroxy-, 2-oxo-, and 3,4-didehydro-2-oxo-carotenoids of the ß,ß-type. These transformations are due to the insect’s own capacity; any contribution by microbial symbionts can be ruled out. A stu...

BACKGROUND Golden Rice (GR) has been genetically engineered to be rich in β-carotene for use as a source of vitamin A. OBJECTIVE The objective was to compare the vitamin A value of β-carotene in GR and in spinach with that of pure β-carotene in oil when consumed by children. DESIGN Children (n = 68; age 6-8 y) were randomly assigned to consume GR or spinach (both grown in a nutrient solutio...

BACKGROUND Over the last decade, considerable efforts have been made to identify cassava cultivars to improve the vitamin A nutritional status of undernourished populations, especially in northeast Brazil, where cassava is one of the principal and essentially only nutritional source. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to evaluate the total carotenoid, β-carotene, and its all-E-, 9-, and 13-...

Vitamin A is essential for life in all vertebrate animals. Vitamin A requirement can be met from dietary preformed vitamin A or provitamin A carotenoids, the most important of which is β-carotene. The metabolism of β-carotene, including its intestinal absorption, accumulation in tissues, and conversion to vitamin A, varies widely across animal species and determines the role that β-carotene pla...