Methods for the efficient quantification of fruit provitamin A contents.

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Nutritional Biochemistry
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Micronutrient-rich banana and plantain (Musa) varieties are crucial for addressing vitamin A deficiency.
• Accurate quantification of provitamin A carotenoids is essential for screening and breeding programs.
• Existing methods may involve steps leading to significant carotenoid losses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a simple, robust, and rapid protocol for quantifying provitamin A carotenoids in Musa fruit pulp and peel.
• To validate the protocol's reproducibility and accuracy.
• To apply the method for profiling carotenoids in various fruits.

Main Methods:

• Utilized High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and spectrophotometry for quantification.
• Employed lyophilisation and extensive tissue disruption for quantitative recoveries.
• Avoided saponification and concentration steps to minimize carotenoid loss.

Main Results:

• The developed protocol demonstrated excellent reproducibility without an internal standard.
• Musa fruit pulp exhibited a distinct provitamin A carotenoids profile compared to the peel.
• Carotenoid profiles, including alpha- and beta-carotene proportions, were characteristic of specific Musa genotypes.
• The protocol was successfully applied to profile provitamin A carotenoids in other fruit types.

Conclusions:

• A reliable and efficient protocol for provitamin A carotenoids analysis in Musa has been established.
• The method facilitates the identification of high-provitamin A Musa varieties.
• The findings contribute to understanding carotenoid distribution within Musa fruit and across different genotypes.