Cell-based assay to quantify the antioxidant effect of food-derived carotenoids enriched in postprandial human chylomicrons.

We developed a new method to evaluate the antioxidant effect of food products in a biological system. The antioxidant status of HepG2 cells was quantified after incubation with postprandial human chylomicrons after the intake of vegetable products. Three subjects consumed in a meal a vegetable soup containing 8.4 mg of β-carotene and 9 mg of lycopene. After 5 h, the subjects consumed a second meal without carotenoids. Blood samples were collected at basal time and every hour for 9 h. Chylomicrons were isolated from serum samples and used for both carotenoid quantification and HepG2 stimulation. Carotenoid in chylomicrons followed an inter-individual and bimodal carotenoid response. We demonstrated the antioxidant effect of postprandial chylomicrons in HepG2 at the time of maximum carotenoid concentration of chylomicrons with respect to basal time. This cell-based assay seems to be a useful method to evaluate the antioxidant effect of fruit and vegetable products in a biological system.