Vitamin A equivalence of the β-carotene in β-carotene-biofortified maize porridge consumed by women

Background beta-Carotene-biofortified maize is being developed through plant breeding as a sustainable agronomic approach to alleviate vitamin A deficiency Objective Our objective was as to quantity the vitamin A equivalence of the beta carotene in beta-carotene biofortified maize based on consumption of a single serving of maize porridge Design Six healthy women each consumed three 250-g portions of maize porridge as follows 1) beta-carotene biofortified maize poridge containing 527 mu g 0 98 mu mol) total beta-carotene 2) white maize poridge with a beta carotene reference close containing 595 mu g (1 11 mu mol) added beta carotene, and 3) white maize porridge with a vitamin A reference dose containing 286 mu g retinol activity equivalent (1 00 mu mol) added retinyl palmitate Each portion contained 80 g added sunflower oil The porridges were consumed in random order separated by >= 2 wk Blood samples were collected over 9 h Retinyl palmitate was analyzed in plasma triacylglycerol rich lipoprotein (TRL) tractions by HPLC with coulometric array electrochemical detection Results Mean (+/- SD) are is under the curve for retinyl palmitate in the TRL fractions (nmol h) were 24 0 +/- 9 4 89 7 +/- 34 7 and 80 1 +/- 24 8 after ingestion of the beta carotene-biofortified maize porridge, the white maize porridge with the beta carotene reference dose and the white maize porridge with the vitamin A reference dose respectively On average 6 48 +/- 3 51 mu g (mean +/- SD) of the beta-carotene in beta-carotene-biofortified maize porridge and 2 34 +/- 1 61 mu g of the beta carotene in the reference dose were each equivalent to 1 mu g retinol Conclusion beta Carotene in biofortified maize his good bioavadability as a plant source of vitamin A Am J Clin Nutr 2010, 92 1105-12