PROVITAMIN A CAROTENES IN VEGETABLES PREPARED AT PRODUCTION UNITS

Abstract

This study investigated the content of a and b-carotene and the provitamin A value of five vegetables, raw and/or cooked served at three Commercial Meal Production Units in Viçosa, MG, Brazil. Pumpkin and green bean were analyzed in the cooked form, tomato and green pepper were analyzed in the raw form and carrot, in both forms. The carotenoids were analysed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). The a-carotene wasn’t quantified in pumpkin, green pepper and green bean (values below the detection limit of the method); and it wasn’t found in tomato. Raw shredded carrot was the vegetable with the greatest content of a-carotene (123.74 mg/100 g of insoluble solids). b-carotene was detected in all the vegetables analyzed, being cooked stick carrot the vegetable with the greatest content of this component (223.14 mg/100 g of insoluble solids) and cooked sliced green bean showed the lowest content (5.60 mg/100 g of insoluble solids). It wasn’t found statistical differences (a=5%) on the contents of a and b-carotene in pumpkin, carrot, green pepper and green bean prepared in different forms at the studied restaurants. On the other hand, the content of b-carotene in sliced tomato was significantly higher than in cube tomato, at three studied restaurants, showing that this is the kind of slicing that better preserves this carotenoid. Regarding to the vitamin A value, there was a similar behavior between these results and those found to b-carotene, since this is the main provitamin A carotenoid found in vegetables.