Influence of organic versus conventional agricultural practice on the antioxidant microconstituent content of tomatoes and derived purees; consequences on antioxidant plasma status in humans.

The present study aims first to compare the antioxidant microconstituent contents between organically and conventionally grown tomatoes and, second, to evaluate whether the consumption of purees made of these tomatoes can differently affect the plasma levels of antioxidant microconstituents in humans. When results were expressed as fresh matter, organic tomatoes had higher vitamin C, carotenoids, and polyphenol contents (except for chlorogenic acid) than conventional tomatoes. When results were expressed as dry matter, no significant difference was found for lycopene and naringenin.

Age-associated B vitamin deficiency as a determinant of chronic diseases.

The number of elderly individuals is growing rapidly worldwide and degenerative diseases constitute an increasing problem in terms of both public health and cost. Nutrition plays a role in the ageing process and there has been intensive research during the last decade on B vitamin-related risk factors in vascular and neurological diseases and cancers. Data from epidemiological studies indicate that subclinical deficiency in most water-soluble B vitamins may occur gradually during ageing, possibly due to environmental, metabolic, genetic, nutritional and pathological determinants, as well as to lifestyle, gender and drug consumption.

Effect of tomato product consumption on the plasma status of antioxidant microconstituents and on the plasma total antioxidant capacity in healthy subjects.

Objectives: to identify the plasma antioxidant microconstituents mainly affected by tomato product consumption, to check whether tomato product consumption can affect antioxidant status, and to identify tomato-product antioxidant-microconstituents mainly involved in the effect of these products on oxidative stress.

Design: Medium-term dietary supplementation study.

Setting: Human Nutrition Laboratory, Clermont-Ferrand, France.

Comparison of the postprandial chylomicron carotenoid responses in young and older subjects.

Background: The plant carotenoids may contribute to the beneficial health effect of fruits- and vegetables-rich diet. Epidemiological studies consistently associated high plasma carotenoids status with reduced age-related diseases. However, the data concerning the bioavailability of carotenoids in the elderly are scarce.

Short-term supplementation with lutein affects biomarkers of lutein status similarly in young and elderly subjects.

There is evidence that lutein may protect against age-related macular degeneration, cataract, cancers and cardiovascular diseases, but no data have been published on the effect of age on lutein status. The purpose of this work was to determine whether there are major differences in the status of this carotenoid between young and elderly subjects. Initial lutein status and the effect of a 5-week lutein supplementation (9 mg/d) on the most common markers of lutein status were compared in 12 young (26.

Processing of vegetable-borne carotenoids in the human stomach and duodenum.

Carotenoids are thought to diminish the incidence of certain degenerative diseases, but the mechanisms involved in their intestinal absorption are poorly understood. Our aim was to obtain basic data on the fate of carotenoids in the human stomach and duodenum. Ten healthy men were intragastrically fed three liquid test meals differing only in the vegetable added 3 wk apart and in a random order.

Carotenoids, mostly the xanthophylls, exchange between plasma lipoproteins.

Carotenoids are exclusively transported by lipoproteins; in vitro studies suggest that they might protect these particles against oxidation. Little is known about the factors that govern the distribution of these micronutrients among lipoproteins. The objective of this study was to assess whether carotenoids are exchanged between lipoproteins and what factors, if any, were involved.

Vegetable-borne lutein, lycopene, and beta-carotene compete for incorporation into chylomicrons, with no adverse effect on the medium-term (3-wk) plasma status of carotenoids in humans.

Background: The results of epidemiologic studies have consistently shown associations between dietary intake or plasma carotenoid status and incidence of cancers and cardiovascular and eye diseases.

Objective: The aim was to assess whether vegetable-borne carotenoids (lycopene, lutein, and beta-carotene) compete for intestinal absorption and whether this affects the plasma status of carotenoids in the medium term (ie, after 3 wk).

Design: During 3-wk periods separated by 3-wk washout periods, 20 women were supplemented with either 96 g tomato purée/d (14.