Factors Influencing the Chemical Stability of Carotenoids in Foods

Abstract

In recent years, a number of studies have produced evidence to suggest that consuming carotenoids may provide a variety of health benefits including a reduced incidence of a number of cancers, reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, and improved eye health. Evolving evidence on the health benefits of several carotenoids has sparked interest in incorporating more carotenoids into functional food products. Unfortunately, the same structural attributes of carotenoids that are thought to impart health benefits also make these compounds highly susceptible to oxidation. Given the susceptibility of carotenoids to degradation, particularly once they have been extracted from biological tissues, it is important to understand the major mechanisms of oxidation in order to design delivery systems that protect these compounds when they are used as functional food ingredients. This article reviews current understanding of the oxidation mechanisms by which carotenoids are degraded, including pathways induced by heat, light, oxygen, acid, transition metal, or interactions with radical species. In addition, several carotenoid delivery systems are evaluated for their potential to decrease carotenoid degradation in functional food products.

Hen egg carotenoids (lutein and zeaxanthin) and nutritional impacts on human health: a review

“…Total losses of xanthophylls ranged from 6% to 18% (Nimalaratne et al, 2013). Also important is the oxidation mechanisms by which carotenoids are degraded, including pathways induced by heat, light, oxygen, acid, transition metal, or interactions with radical species (Boon et al, 2010). Free aromatic amino acids in egg yolk show antioxidant properties.…”

“…However, under processing conditions, the highly reactive, electron-rich carotenoid molecule present in egg yolks suffers oxidation. The magnitude of oxidation depends on the amount of carotenoid present; available oxygen; exposure to light; temperature; and the presence of enzymes, metals, prooxidants, and antioxidants (Boon, McClements, Weiss, & Decker, 2010).…”

Natural antioxidants as stabilizers for polymers

“…Carotenes are usually applied as natural yellow, orange or red colorants in various foods like cakes, sauces, marinades, spice blends, beverages and dairy products [53]. Carotenes are rarely applied alone because of their sensitivity towards oxygen and ultraviolet radiation leading to undesired color loss [54].…”

Evolution of long-term coloration trends with biochemically unstable ingredients

“…For example, carotenoids with different structures vary in their potential for photo-oxidation, reactivity with free radicals, and in their associated tendency to produce carbonyl compounds and highly reactive epoxides [12,[27][28][29]. Reduction in the number of conjugated double bonds in a carotenoid produces a shift towards lower wavelength absorbance, and corresponding changes in hue and intensity of the associated colour [14,30].…”

“…For example in birds, complex and lineage-specific carotenoid-based ornamentation requires carotenoids obtained through the diet that are subsequently incorporated into the organismal phenotype [11]. Unbound carotenoids (and, in particular, dietary carotenoids) degrade rapidly with UV and oxygen exposure [12][13][14]. Thus, differences among carotenoids in biochemical stability, together with the empirical investigation of mechanisms by which birds stabilize and integrate these compounds into their feathers, can provide important insight into the evolutionary integration of externally obtained elements into phenotypes.…”