Mechanisms Governing the Transfer of Pure and Plant Matrix Carotenoids Toward Emulsified Triglycerides.

to assess the role of factors assumed to be involved in the transfer of carotenoids from plant matrices to dietary emulsions in the upper digestive tract.We first measured transfer as a function of time of pure β-carotene (βC), lutein (LUT) and lycopene (LYC) to triglyceride (TG) droplets dispersed in water. Then we measured the transfer to TG droplets stabilized with either bovine serum albumin (BSA), phospholipids (PL), or both. Finally, we measured transfer of tomato and spinach puree carotenoids to these emulsions.the maximal transfer efficiency of the pure carotenoids to uncoated emulsions was very efficient, ranging from 59 to 77%. However, it was dramatically impaired, ranging from 0.5 to 31% (p<0.05), when emulsions were stabilized by the emulsifiers. Conversely, when LUT, and to a less extent βC, but not LYC, was provided by the vegetable purees, its maximal transfer efficiency was significantly higher for the coated emulsions than for the uncoated one.Emulsifiers can dramatically impair the transfer of pure carotenoids to emulsion TG while they can facilitate the transfer of carotenoids from plant matrices. This suggests that specific interactions between plant matrix compounds and emulsifiers can enhance the transfer efficiency of carotenoids. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.